On Cupcake Moon

weekend sale!

2011-11-25T18:10:00.004-05:00

it's that time of year again, time for holiday cards! i have 6 new gothy cute designs this year, and of course all your tried and true favourite seasonal icons. have a look and pick your 10 for $10!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OnCupcakeMoon?section_id=7411345

happy shopping! =)

quick and simple and not your average grilled cheese sandwich

2011-06-27T13:16:00.008-04:00

ok, ok, i know it's been forever... there's been too much going on to be able to sit down and write quality blog posts. but i have been taking photos of recipes i want to share and putting them away for when i have time to do it. now is one of those times.

so here's the scenario - i don't like cheese as a rule. but i was emailed a recipe for a more "gourmet" grilled cheese with some other stuff in it (cheese, ham, carmelized onions, apple). now that sounded good so i decided to try it. if there are several other flavours besides the cheese it's much more bearable to my palette. my first try of the recipe as written was good, but it was missing something though as far as i was concerned. it was almost too sweet... so i made a second attempt with my own version - which is this one. it's super simple and has tons of flavour. it looks impressive too when you serve it, like it should be much harder than it really is. now go try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

not your average grilled cheese sandwich

white bread
gouda cheese, thick slices
red onion, 1/4" slices
ham, thinly sliced
golden delicious apple, 1/4" slices
butter

1. heat skillet to medium, medium-high.
2. put slices of gouda on each side of the bread. layer one slice of bread with ham, onion and apples to taste. cover with the other slice of bread. butter up one side and put butter side down in the skillet. let cook for a few minutes (i like mine lightly browned, my man likes his deeply browned so again - to taste). while cooking, butter the top side of the sandwich. flip and cook the other side to desired doneness.

enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/notyouraveragegrilledcheese.pdf

simon says contest

2011-04-12T13:30:00.002-04:00

i know i haven't posted much in the last few months but believe me, i have a pile of recipes and lots of things to share hopefully soon! in the meantime i've got a quick tidbit to share!

first of all, yes, this is for real. a forum i belong to called "Attack of the Craft" is having a contest where you can win an iPad or a $300 Visa gift card. want to join in on their game of Simon Says? go check out the contest details here: http://www.attackofthecraft.com/stage/showthread.php?t=5759

=)

spicing it up for valentine's day

2011-02-14T14:09:00.000-05:00

valentine's day is a day to spice it up - so why not start with dinner? today's recipe is a soup i have changed quite a bit from the original. i'm not much into cream soups so it became brothy instead. i added rice and chicken for a little more substance, changed the spices up, and served it with tortilla chips to tone down that spice for those (such as me) who prefer their food with a little less heat. needless to say this is another well enjoyed meal in our house, and as leftovers! so get your heat on and have a happy valentine's day! ♥

spicy corn chowder with chicken

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbs. garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 pkg. frozen whole kernel corn
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 tbs. chopped green chiles, canned or fresh
3 tsp. parsley, dried or fresh
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 cups cooked rice
tortilla chips (optional)

1. in a dutch oven, heat the oil on medium. add the chicken and cook til the outsides turn white. remove from pan, set aside. add onion, bell pepper and garlic. cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. add the rest of the ingredients except for the rice and tortilla chips. bring to a boil over high heat. reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 10 minutes. stir occasionally.
3. optional - serve with tortilla chips. we crush ours into our soup.

makes about 6-8 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/spicycornchowder.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: Girl Tuesday Jewelry

2011-02-09T16:08:00.004-05:00

a few years ago, i discovered GirlTuesdayJewelry when i came across an adorable cherry pendant made from red heart glass beads in her etsy shop. it's still one of my favourite pieces, and that purchase made me a big fan of her jewelry. last year for valentine's day i picked up her tough love barbed wire hearts earrings. they're so unique, fun, and edgy, and perfect for the holiday.

towards the end of last year while browsing her shop i decided i wanted barbed wire hoops, as seen on me below. i love the hearts, but the hoops are more versatile for my wardrobe. i picked rachel's original hoops, 1.75" in diameter. i also requested to have them oxidized to make them a little more raw and rugged like real barbed wire. needless to say i LOVE them and they are the perfect accessory to toughen up any outfit.

i've got a couple of other things i have my eye on in her shop - a stars lariat, ball and chain earrings, and a big heart pendant - so until they make their way into my jewelry drawer i'll be stalking them often. you can join me in stalking her creations in her etsy shop, at her website - www.girltuesdayjewelry.com, and some of her rocker chic items can also be found at www.punk.com.

talking tacos

2011-02-08T15:47:00.001-05:00

i'm back! =)

finally my life is starting to get into order again, which means new recipes for the blog! this week's gem began in the kitchen of rick bayless. i was lucky enough to work a few blocks from his restaurants in chicago and ate there several times. i even blew my entire football pool winnings one week on a dinner at topolobampo. believe me, it was worth every penny of the $150 that was spent. so when i learned rick bayless was going to be on "top chef masters" needless to say i was thrilled!

they had an elimination challenge to make street food using animal parts we americans don't normally eat. rick did tacos with tongue. as much as he's a master chef, i can't say i wanted to go run out and try tongue. i did, however, want to try his recipe using something else for meat. with trial and error, i was able to reduce the recipe to a 2 person (with a bit of leftovers) serving size and i originally began to make it with beef steak. it was great - until one time i was craving these tacos and adding the steak was out of the food budget that week. it turned out i didn't even miss it! the funny thing is i'm not a fan of chorizo, avocados, or pecorino romano but together they are DIVINE! i *promise* you these tacos have so many flavors to experience, your tongue won't be missing anything. ;)

rick bayless' tongueless tacos

1 lb bacon
1 white onion, diced
1 lb chorizo, casing removed
2 large potatoes, cubed
pecorino romano (or queso anejo)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
white corn tortillas

guacamole:
3 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered
4 jalapeños
3 avocados
1 large white onion, finely diced
cilantro
salt

1. very lightly boil potatoes in salted water. set aside to cool.
2. make the guacamole: puree the tomatillos and jalapeños. mix that into the avocados. add onion. add cilantro and salt to taste. put in refrigerator to chill.
3. in a bowl, cover the red onion with very cold water. salt generously. let stand for 10 minutes and drain.
4. fry the bacon. remove and blot. cook the onions in the bacon fat to carmelize. in a separate pan cook the chorizo until cooked through and browned.
5. chop the potatoes into small cubes (about 1/2"). add the potatoes and chorizo to the onions and cook until crusty like hash browns.
6. warm tortillas on a slightly oily griddle. layer tacos with the hash mixture, a couple of strips of bacon, guacamole, red onion, and top with pecorino romano.

makes about 6-8 tacos. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tonguelesstacos.pdf

sometimes you need to take 5

2010-12-28T13:58:00.002-05:00

sometimes life doesn't go as planned, as the last month has been for me. i had big plans of handmade gift guides, wearing handmade wednesdays AND weekends, and many recipe postings of all my holiday baking. instead i feel like i've been crazy doing things i HAD to, and didn't get much time to devote to things i really WANTED to do... the holidays seem to do that to me. maybe that's why i'm not the biggest fan of them.

anyway, one of the things i did manage to get to was making these cookies. i really love all the flavors of hershey's take 5 candy bars (chocolate, pretzels, caramel, peanuts, and peanut butter) and was looking for something that was similar in cookie form. i spent hours looking for recipes a few months ago and found nothing remotely close so of course, i decided to make up my own. i'm pretty pleased with them as i ate a lot of them in the last couple of weeks. i'll be seeing the treadmill a bit more in the next couple of weeks, lol!

deb's "take 5" inspired cookie bars

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 11.5 oz bag (2 cups) hershey's milk chocolate chips
1 cup (or more if you like more pretzel taste) pretzel sticks chopped into 1/2" pieces
heath bits o' brickle toffee chips

1. preheat oven to 350. spray a 13 x 9 x 2 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. in a large bowl beat peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and eggs til well blended.
3. sift together flour, baking powder and salt. add this to the mixture and beat just a little bit (dough will be dry at this point). add in milk and vanilla and beat until all is well blended. when done, spread the dough in the pan. use a lightly floured glass as a rolling pin if needed.
4. bake for 15 minutes. add the entire bag of chocolate chips to the top and bake 3 minutes more (you may need an extra minute or so for the chocolate to melt thoroughly - test by trying to spread the chocolate with a spatula). remove from oven. sprinkle pretzels over the top of the chips. immediately start to spread the chocolate and pretzel mixture into a nice layer across the top with a spatula. when finished, sprinkle toffee chips over the top. if needed, put in refrigerator to harden the chocolate.
5. to serve, cut into bars.

makes about 3 dozen cookies. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/take5inspiredcookiebars.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: Stellar Cheri!

2010-12-01T17:07:00.002-05:00

for those of you who know me personally, you know i'm REALLLLLLLLY into shoes. i have a pair of vampiress shoes that are wonderfully wicked but when i wore them out i realized i did not have a bag that truly compliments them. enter StellarCheri... she listed some lace bags in her shop and i noticed the lace matched my shoes quite nicely. so i asked cheri if she could make me a red wristlet. when i received it i couldn't believe how closely they really did match, both in the red and the lace!

besides accessories, cheri makes some fabulous DIY clothing. she's great with custom orders as i will personally attest to. so if you need a gift this holiday season for someone who is reallllllllllllllllly into accessories, go check out her shop. i'm sure you'll find something that will be an instant love!

friday fuzzies: handmade gift guide

2010-11-26T12:29:00.002-05:00

this week's friday fuzzies is going to be a little different, particularly because it's such a big shopping weekend. i'm all about buying handmade no matter what the occasion is, so i'm going to profile some shops that i've bought from - and think you should check out too!

for purses, scarves, and other cool and edgy accessories, check out warning label creations... my favourite item in her shop is this executioner clutch bag which will one day be mine. in purple i think.

for handmade polymer clay and resin jewelry, check out pet zombie creations... i picked this damask necklace from her shop because i have one myself and i LOVE it!

for cute punk rock clothing for both kids and adults, check out rocky the zombie... zombie love was the first design i purchased from her shop and it's still one of my favourite tees.

for fingerless gloves, check out zen and coffee designs... i have several pairs from this shop already, and my pick is only one of many from my wish list - who killed mr. moonlight gloves.

for reading pillows and recycled gifts, check out Inverness Studios... my pick is this alice in wonderland reading pillow - cute and functional!

for dolls, accessories and other cute stuff, check out camamiel... just about everything in this shop is on my wish list, and it was hard to pick one thing! plush felt doll lulu is a super cute doll that is in need of a good home.

for stocking stuffers such as burn busters, hair clips, and other cute little things, check out The Biting Gnome... i have a jack skellington burn buster and it is such a wonderful thing to wrap around my morning tea. this hello kitty love burn buster would made a perfect gift for any kitty lover, or HK fan!

for bra tops and other cute clothing, check out rad rocket... my pick from her shop is another wish list item, a halter bra top with a black and white skull print.

for gifts for your pet, check out Fabulously Fierce Pets... deck out your pooch or kitty in something more fun this holiday season. my recommendation is this green striped small dog collar. and she's got some great picks for the punk rock pet, such as a the black & white skulls collar my cat wears.

for alternative punk rock jewelry, check out Headless Tess DIY... there are several necklaces on my wish list from this shop! do you have a harry potter fan on your list to buy for? then you might want to pick up this ravenclaw house crest necklace.

and last but certainly not even close to least we have Indiscretion/Haute Indiscretion... i love her street couture/shabby chic/steampunk point of view and i have a top and a dress that she's made. my pick would be this wallpaper party dress, perfect for YOU for all your holiday get-togethers. =)

wearing handmade wednesday: fabulously fierce!

2010-11-24T16:16:00.001-05:00

with today having been a long work day for me, i'm going to let my cat, austin, have a guest spot on "wearing handmade wednesday". here's a shot of my little badass sporting his skulls kitty collar from TheWillowGoose (formerly FabulouslyFiercePets). it's made from 1/2" lightweight webbing and ribbon, and it has a black breakaway buckle, split ring and a silver jingle bell.

doesn't he look [like he's up to no] good? he's actually getting himself into trouble as i type this. yeah, i think this collar fits him perfectly!!!

as good as gold!

2010-11-23T15:40:00.004-05:00

this week's recipe is something i've been making since i was a kid. i have heard it's similar to "monkey bread". maybe this is where my love of baking began! it is actually a family recipe that's been handed down a few generations, and i am the one who still makes it for every holiday breakfast for my parents, my siblings & their families... well, when i still lived close enough to share it with them. now it is all mine when i make it, hee hee hee.

this bread is so coveted in my family i could probably use it as currency if need be. i actually had to parse out loaves and tag them at holidays just to make sure everyone got equal amounts. i have even had requests to make it for people as their birthday gift. my brother came to visit me in may, and i baked some the first night he was here. he ate half a loaf within minutes of it emerging from the oven. need more convincing to try making it yourself? just check out the photo below.

p.s. for best results, use the actual brand ingredients i use (something i still have to convince my mother to do, lol)

tear off a piece/TOAP (cinnamon-sugar bread)

for the bread:
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet cream salted butter, melted (i use land o'lakes)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
5-1/2 cups bread flour (i use gold medal better for bread)

for the yeast:
2 packages dry yeast (i use fleischmann's rapidrise)
1/2 cup lukewarm water (between 105 - 115 degrees F)
2 tsp granulated sugar

for finishing the bread after rising:
1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet cream salted butter
3 cups granulated sugar
3 tbs ground cinnamon

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. make the yeast by mixing together the water, yeast and sugar in a 2 cup measuring cup. set aside.
3. scald the milk by putting it in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. it should start to form a skin on top.
4. in a large bowl, combine the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and 3 cups of flour. mix well. once the yeast has risen above 1 cup, add it to the bowl along with the remaining 2-1/2 cups of flour. knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. cover with a towel and set aside. allow to rise for about 2 hours. punch down with a fork. recover and let rise another hour.
5. melt the second stick of butter in a bowl or small pot. in a bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. i usually use a glass bowl and a fork to do this so i can see it has truly been mixed well.
6. divide the bread dough in half. knead one of the halves for about a minute or two. shape into a french loaf. cut into 10 equal pieces. dip each piece in butter, then roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. place side by side in a bread pan as seen in the picture above (i use airbake pans, and i find that they by far work the best). do the same with the other half in another bread pan. bake for 28 minutes.

makes 20 pieces. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tearoffapiece.pdf

pumpkin cupcakes!

2010-11-20T11:18:00.003-05:00

when i found a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes i was ready to make it immediately. now add some cheesecake flavor to the pumpkin. yes, please! then top it with cream cheese frosting... i am one happy, happy girl! these cupcakes are so moist and tasty, and a great alternative to vanilla and chocolate. they're perfect for the season too and were a big hit last year. while sampling my finished cupcakes yesterday, i had an idea. i think i'm going to try a marbled version of this next time i make them by using a toothpick to swirl the cheesecake layer throughout the cupcake.

i also tested out Reynolds Baked For You StayBright baking cups in their black and white damask pattern. it's foil lined on the inside so that the pattern on the liner stays vibrant after baking. i'd say they worked well!

pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes

1 pkg (8 oz.) package of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1 large egg white
1-1/2 tsp vanilla, divided (1/2 tsp, 1 tsp)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 2-3 minutes in a bowl. add in the egg white and 1/2 tsp vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.
3. in another bowl, mix the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil and 1 tsp. vanilla. mix well. add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. continue mixing til all is well blended.
4. line a muffin pan with foil lined baking cups (i've found they work best). put a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin mixture into the bottom of each cup. layer with a measured tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. top with another tablespoon of pumpkin mixture and level it off a bit if needed. don't worry if it doesn't look pretty, it will bake nicely. bake for 25 minutes in the lower third of your oven. let cool and frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

makes 1 dozen. enjoy! =)

cream cheese frosting

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla

1. beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. add sugar gradually and continue beating until well blended.

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/pumpkincheesecakecupcakes.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-11-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's theme is dessert... i've been baking a lot this week and all i have is sugar on the brain! the great thing about these cute confections is that they won't go straight to your hips!

dessert ornaments by araleling... pick one (or more!) to decorate your holiday tree with some cute and yummy goodies

sugary sweet rubber stamp set by nikoart... you'll get a milkshake rabbit, a cupcake dog, an ice cream bears, and a popsicle cats stamp in this cute as can be stamp set

chocolate is good medicine hobo bag by redvelvette... and who am i to say otherwise? ;)

kawaii loaded sweets and desserts charm bracelet by gaylevictoria... cupcakes, donuts, ice cream, pie, chocolate - it has all my favourites and more!

sweet stuff fabric by scrumptiousdelight... if you sew you can make your own concoction with this adorable fabric. i think it would make great potholders and oven mitts!

wearing handmade wednesday: em & sprout!

2010-11-17T16:30:00.000-05:00

i had my eye on these zombie kitty shoes from em & sprout forever. a few months ago i decided it was finally time to get them. when i bought them i asked for them to be customized with stitching only on the inside ears because i had hatched a little plan to make them truly my own.

once i received them i made the green skull bows (which match the eyes perfectly!) and attached them to each of the unstitched ears. then i made the stitched ears a little more zombie-like with a "bite" taken out of them. handmade + handmade = super cute!

friday fuzzies

2010-11-12T09:27:00.000-05:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week let's talk turkey since the US's thanksgiving is now 2 weeks away. this is plenty of time for you to add some handmade goodness to your thanksgiving celebration if any of these catch your fancy.

we'll start with thomas the turkey plushie from SaintAngel... a turkey that you can hug and love, and will be around next year!

turkey napkin holder by elvisgrl63... a cute, modern, and functional piece for your feast

thanksgiving place card holders by carriveau... let each guest know where they are sitting with these elegant place card holders

turkey crocheted kufi hat by chickandbud... this girlie hat comes with a very cute removeable turkey hair clip

but the boys need a hat too! fleece cooked turkey hat by halfpintboling made me smile really big when i saw it this morning. =)

just like grandma's

2010-11-11T17:40:00.004-05:00

this blog post is more for my family members than anyone else, but even if you aren't this is worth reading!

as the weather gets colder and colder, more and more recipes from my childhood resurface. the following is some of the best comfort food i've ever had because it brings back wonderful memories of my beloved grandma. she's not in the best of health at the moment and stupid me never asked for or wrote down her recipes. however... sometimes being a perfectionist is a good thing! i have worked long and hard to replicate the taste of these two signature dishes of hers. these are now to the point where every bite brings me back to her kitchen. =)

stuffed cabbage/gołąbki

1 large green cabbage
1-1/2 lbs ground beef chuck
1 lb ground pork
4 cups cooked rice
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cans Campbell's Tomato Bisque soup
salt & pepper

1. boil the cabbage in a large pot for about 10 minutes. remove and let cool. break off leaves from the core.
2. while the cabbage is boiling... preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a large bowl mix together the meat, rice, and garlic. season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. use the outer leaves of the cabbage head as a layer on the bottom of your pan(s) [we use 2 large corningware bakeware pans with glass lids]. in the middle of each leaf add about a cup of meat mixture. roll cabbage from the core side up to the outside of the leaf, making sure to tuck the sides in. place side by side in pan.
4. when done, in another large bowl empty the 3 cans of soup. add 1/2 can of water to this and mix. pour the soup over your cabbage rolls. cover and bake for 50 minutes (longer if you want it your rolls a little dry like grandma's were, lol!)

makes about 12 cabbage rolls. enjoy! =)

and pair this with a famous grandma side dish...

grandma's sour cream cucumbers

2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced very thin
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbs sugar (start with 1 tbs and add to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
dillweed (optional)

1. add all ingredients to a large bowl. mix well. cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/golabkiandsourcreamcucumbers.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-11-05T14:45:00.001-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's theme is inspired by autumn leaves and their colours...

how cute is this doxie and owl friend in the autumn leaves pouch by persnicketypelican? it made from custom fabric and you have to see the listing to see how cute it comes packaged.

wool felt baby owl booties by claraclips... these booties in 3-6 month size are ready to ship for your little pumpkin (also, go check out her adorable hair clips and finger puppets!)

woodland walk peacock feather flower hair fascinator by HeadFullofFeathers is simply gorgeous... i *wish* i had an occasion to wear it to!

retro apples mitt set by collisionware... this cute print works well for all seasons but especially for fall.

and to kick off holiday baking season, we must also have an apron... half apron in earth mod dots by crzybaglady will help get you in the mood for some cookies with it's cookie-like print!

freshly baked

2010-11-04T19:36:00.002-04:00

once halloween is over, the thing i look forward to is holiday baking. i make cookies, a cinnamon & sugar bread, cakes, cupcakes (lots of these recipes to come)... yeah, i am in the gym A LOT in the winter, haha.

but since i have not done a dessert recipe in a while, i thought i'd start with these peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies that i was craving madly while working today. it's a dreary, rainy thursday and what better way to catch up on the blog recipes by sharing this one!

peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (i use hershey's brand)

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. in a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the peanut butter and chocolate chips. once combined, add the peanut butter. when that is well mixed, fold in the chocolate chips.
3. form into firmly packed 1" balls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart. flatten to about 3/8" with the bottom of a glass.
4. bake 5-7 minutes. remove from cookie sheet and let cool.

makes about 4 dozen cookies. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/peanutbutterchocolatechipcookies.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: sunshine monster!

2010-11-03T09:15:00.045-04:00

"Well, some go this way, and some go that way. But as for me, myself, personally, I prefer the short-cut."

isn't this "cheshire hat" from SunshineMonster cute?!? erica normally makes these in pink and purple stripes just like the colours of the cheshire cat from disney's version of "alice in wonderland", but me having to be take my short-cut... i requested mine to be made in my beloved black and white stripes!

there are a lot of other cute and quirky hats in her shop, along with purses, some mad doorknob covers and other fun accessories. personally, i love her bacon scarf which i featured in one of my "friday fuzzies" posts. so go check out her shop and bring a little sunshine to your wednesday. =)

back to eating!

2010-11-02T17:22:00.003-04:00

well, not exactly. i've been cooking and baking up a storm but haven't had time to post these recipes! this dish is one that started as a costly recipe, and has evolved into a more simple, much cheaper, and much tastier recipe. we like to enjoy this with a flavorful side salad and homemade bread. NOM!!

sausage stuffed pork chops

4 thick cut pork chops
1/4 cup garlic & herb flavored bread crumbs, plus about 1 cup, divided
1/2 lb, bulk italian sausage, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbs. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with a knife, slice a pocket in the side of each chop. in a bowl combine the 1/4 cup bread crumbs, sausage, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. stuff each chop with this mixture.
2. dredge each chop in flour, then dip in egg, then roll in the rest of the breadcrumbs to bread them.
3. heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. when the oil is hot, place them in the pan and fry about 3 minutes per side. when done, place them in a roasting pan.
4. add the onions, butter, white wine and chicken broth to the skillet. cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring constantly. add this mixture to the roasting pan with the pork chops and bake for 45 minutes. drizzle the chops with roasting pan juices for serving.

makes 4 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/sausagestuffedporkchops.pdf

wearing handmade wednesday: ms christa!

2010-10-27T15:23:00.004-04:00

it's almost halloween, and how perfect is this hair accessory for the holiday (and beyond, in my case!) made by the fabulous MsChrista?! it's a black rose with skeleton hands peeking out from underneath, but she has many other colours and designs available for purchase in her shop. christa usually makes these on combs but she also offers them on a french barrette, as i picked. i've worn this several times since i received it and i love it! i use it as a great alternative to wearing a ponytail - and with wicked style! =)

ccccccccccrrrrr-ash!

2010-10-16T08:10:00.001-04:00

i've been really busy lately due to work, but also due to my computer having some big problems over the last 2 weeks. i officially lost my hard drive yesterday... it's not that big of a deal since i have a current backup. but i have to spend a lot of time rebuilding my computer this weekend. this is why there haven't been new recipes or friday fuzzies recently. next week i hope to be back on track, and will be doubling up since i have many things to share!

happy weekend! =)

wearing handmade wednesday: zen and coffee designs!

2010-10-13T19:39:00.008-04:00

it's another edition of "wearing handmade wednesday", and coincidentally pili chose the same handmade shop to feature (click here for her post)! we both love zenandcoffee's fabulous fingerless gloves!

i picked up this boot camp design of wren's to go with the military trend that is big in fall fashion this year. i prefer mine a little shorter than her original listing so she made them custom for me. they are well made, fit great, and i'm so happy it's getting a little cooler out so i can finally use them to accessorize my outfits!

wren has nearly 200 designs in her etsy shop so she's got something for just about everyone. i know i've got my eye on a couple of them. i'm sure pili does too! =)

soup is good and easy food

2010-10-08T17:12:00.002-04:00

the one thing i do welcome as far as colder weather goes is soup!! i love to make one pot meals and this is another recipe that my sister gave me which i altered. even though we are siblings we definitely have different tastes, so tweaking it here and there made this soup one that is well loved in my house. it's also one that could easily go vegetarian without the sausage or the chicken stock, and is super easy to make!

tortellini soup

2 tbs. olive oil
1-2 large sweet yellow onions, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (depends on your taste)
32 oz. carton vegetable stock (2 for vegetarian)
32 oz. carton chicken stock
28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
8 oz. package dried cheese tortellini
1 lb. bulk italian sausage (optional)
4 cups spinach, chopped
1 tbs. fresh basil, chopped
1 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
shredded mozzarella for top (optional)

1. add oil to dutch oven. heat on medium heat and sautee onion and garlic.
2. add in stock and diced tomatoes. bring to a boil. throw in tortellini and cook to time required on the package. while boiling, drop in sausage in small chunks.
3. once tortellini is cooked, reduce heat to low. add in chopped spinach, basil and oregano. let simmer about 10 minutes. top with mozzarella cheese before serving. serving suggestion: serve with a crusty bread.

makes about 8 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tortellinisoup.pdf

friday fuzzies: saturday edition

2010-10-02T12:25:00.000-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

ok, this time being late wasn't my fault. i was trying to do my post yesterday and blogger was down and not allowing me to do it... but enough of that - this week's theme is witches!

let's start with one darn cute 5x7 witch print by keitosan of millie and her cat, tofu...

halloween cupcake with witch hat amigurumi crochet by beachbunny... you know i always try to find a cupcake with my weekly theme, and this is it!

tres brujas t-shirt by pendientuda... 3 cute witches you can wear - and choose your colour of t-shirt to have them printed on!

crazy ol witch resin necklace by Lunaricsales... she may be crazy but she's awfully cute!

calypso witch of the crystal rose by HeartshapedCreations... i love the story behind this figurine. you'll have to visit the listing to read it!

and i can't do a post about witches without a cauldron. trouble trouble soil and bubble soap by WashableArt is a perfect way to end this. =)

wearing handmade wednesday: indiscretion!

2010-09-29T17:47:00.002-04:00

my dear friend pili has inspired me to partake in "wearing handmade wednesday"! i have some handmade clothing items, lots of jewelry and many other accessories so i know i will have a lot to share in weeks to come.

my inaugural post is about a handmade top. the design was inspired by a movie favourite of mine - tim burton's "alice in wonderland". i found a downright wicked dress in mara's etsy shop, Indiscretion, which i fell in love with. however, i don't wear dresses too often and the dress listed was not my size so i asked her if she'd make me just the top part in the same design. she did, and i LURVE it!!! now go check out this listing because if you love it as much as i do, you can have one too! =)

let's pretend it's saturday

2010-09-27T15:12:00.000-04:00

i know i said i'd post the 2nd recipe on saturday and that didn't happen. why? well, i rarely measure things when cooking. when i make a recipe to photo & post on here i have to make sure i measure things properly. then i did a big deep cleaning of my house saturday morning and misplaced all my notes on my stew! i finally found them, filed with the electric bill of all things. so let's pretend it's saturday and i'm posting this on time, ok? ;)

southwestern beef stew

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb sirloin strip steak(s) cut into bite sized pieces (you can use stew meat too)
salt
4 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 white onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, mined
1 14 oz. can of beef broth
1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (or more, depending on your taste)
1-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 cup water

1. heat the oil in a dutch oven on medium high. add in the meat and stir fry until lightly browned. remove from pot and salt to taste. set aside.
2. add tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and beef broth to pot. bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and cover. let cook about 20 minutes.
3. stir in zucchini, cilantro and cayenne pepper. add back in steak. let cook about 10 minutes.
4. prepare cornstarch by dissolving it in water. add to pot. cook and stir until thickened, and if needed bring heat up to medium high to thicken.

makes about 6 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/southwesternbeefstew.pdf

friday fuzzies: part 2

2010-09-24T18:14:00.001-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

post #2 of the day - the theme is mummies! all wrapped up halloween cuteness!

little mummy by PWdesigns... now this is a mummy i could hug!

cute mummy custom halloween tee by sugarlocks... an adorable little mummy for your little one to wear!

hello kitty mummy necklace by missmercy... hello kitty is cute in anything, even a mummy costume! and if you like this get it fast - there's only 2 left!

halloween reversible tote/trick or treat bag by EMCreativeDesigns... cute dancing purple mummies which reverse to purple circles. perfect for use all year long!

friday fuzzies: part 1

2010-09-24T15:55:00.001-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

since i missed "friday fuzzies" last week, i'm going to do 2 of them today! this is part one with the theme of zombies! (and for those looking for the second recipe of the week, it will be posted saturday)

i cannot do a zombie post without my favouritist little zombie EVER!!!!! zombie lovers tee by rockythezombie is available for kids of all ages (i have a tee and a tank myself!) on your choice of tee, tank or hoodie! here's to ROCKY WORLD DOMINATION! ;)

undying love pendant by thegraphicsshoppe... love is forever even beyond the grave!

zombie kyle wooden kokeshi doll by licoricewits... a super cute and shy little zombie who is really rather harmless. he likes to nibble on ears because he's not brave enough to go for the brain.

zombie cupcake charm by baconFaced... comes with a complimentary penny sized cookie!

tor the stuffed zombie strongman by FireBongo... he has a trick arm! it falls off when he tries to lift his dumbbell.

OOAK needle felted zombie bunny by amberrosecreations... walt is the first in a series of "zombie cuties". i can't wait to see the others!

even better the next day

2010-09-21T16:53:00.001-04:00

this week we'll have 2 recipes since i missed last week... it's been a bit busy around here and i haven't been able to sit down and type out everything until now.

with the first day of autumn being this thursday, i thought a nice hearty italian meal was an order. this eggplant parm is great in any of the 3 stages: fried eggplant by itself (or dipped in marinara), fresh out of the oven, or as leftovers the next day. and the marinara is quite tasty over your favourite pasta as well. add a side salad and some crusty italian bread and you've got yourself a dinner that's incredibly satisfying on these cooler days.

eggplant parmesan with homemade marinara sauce

1 large eggplant
all-purpose flour
2 eggs
italian style bread crumbs
vegetable oil
marinara sauce (recipe to follow)
fresh deli mozzarella, thinly sliced
shredded mozzarella
grated pecorino romano cheese

1. heat oil over medium to medium-high heat in a dutch oven, large pan or deep fryer. beat eggs in a large bowl. prepare one plate with flour and one with bread crumbs.
2. peel eggplant. slice it lengthwise into 1/4 thick slices. dredge the eggplant in flour, dip in egg to coat and then dredge in the bread crumbs. fry eggplant in oil, about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
3. in a large rectangular baking dish begin with layers: start with marinara on the bottom. add a layer of eggplant, then marinara, then shredded mozzarella, and finish with a sprinkle of pecorino romano. continue to layer until you reach the top of the pan. the top layer should be eggplant, marinara, then the sliced fresh mozzarella, and a sprinkle of pecorino romano. bake for 25 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese begins to brown.

homemade marinara

3 tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tbs. chopped fresh oregano leaves
salt and pepper

1. heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. add the onions and cook until soft (about 3-4 minutes). add garlic and cayenne pepper. stir and cook for about a minute. add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. bring to a boil. cover and reduce heat to medium. let cook about 30 minutes.
2. stir in the parsley, basil and oregano.

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/eggplantparmesan.pdf

wordless wednesday

2010-09-15T18:42:00.002-04:00

friday fuzzies

2010-09-10T17:38:00.002-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

today's theme is pumpkins! my orange kitty is my little pumpkin. and these little pumpkin items are just as cute, well, close.

stack o' jack o' lanterns by dancesippydance... a trio of quirky pumpkin cuteness!

halloween cameo necklace - little witch with orange pumpkins and moon by RedFenyx... such a sweet little necklace i'd wear all halloween season

bunny needle felted toy by Fairyfolk... a BUNNY in a pumpkin!!

cute pumpkins sock knitting bag by stuckinillinois... a cute little sack to hold your crafty halloween projects (or halloween treats!)! and it is lined in an orange "boo!" fabric.

3 felt ornaments - miss pumpkin, clownia and frankenstein by camamiel... this is just the pumpkin you'll get when you purchase this trio. you will need to click the link to see how ADORABLE the other two ornaments are!!! =)

homemade pasta in homemade soup

2010-09-09T18:51:00.000-04:00

one thing i have not attempted yet is homemade pasta. but my man - lucky me - got himself a pasta machine. he loves to make pasta (especially ravioli!) so when he wants to make some i am more than thrilled! i get to sit back and relax while he makes this soup, one of his favourites. with some freshly baked italian bread, this dish is perfect for the upcoming cool weather.

tomato and cheese ravioli soup

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper
32 oz. chicken stock
2 cups water
1 lb. fresh cheese ravioli (recipe below)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1 small sweet onion, diced

1. in a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. stir in the tomatoes and garlic, and season with salt & pepper. cover the pot and cook about 8 minutes. pick up the pan and shake it occasionally during this time.
2. add the chicken stock and water, and bring to a boil. cook for about 5 minutes. remove from heat and add in ravioli, basil, scallions and onion. stir then let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. serve with crusty italian bread.

makes about 6 servings. enjoy! =)

homemade cheese ravioli

pasta dough (make according to package directions)
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated provalone
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1. combine ingredients in a bowl. place rolled (and cut into 32 2" squares if you do not use a ravioli mold) pasta dough on a lightly floured surface. place about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the center of each square, 1 teaspoon if using a mold. lightly wet the edges with water with your fingertip and top with another layer of pasta dough. press to seal the edges.

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tomatoandcheeseraviolisoup.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-09-03T23:11:00.001-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

a little late, but i'm still getting it done on friday! today's theme is ghosts. i love the show "ghost hunters" and do believe ghosts are for real. these though aren't spooky - just pure cuteness!

cute baby boys bib ghosts from jessii83... i wish i knew someone with a little boy to give this to. it's too cute!

halloween ghost miniatures set of 3 by LennyMud... no matter which 3 you get, they're all OOAK and simply adorable pieces for the holiday.

violette the goth ghost girl by trinlayk... she's ready to cheerfully haunt in her frilly black dress and skull bone bow.

haunted bookmark with spooky stained glass ghost by funktionslust... this little ghost and kitty bookmark is so wonderfully themed for a great spooky storybook.

halloween ghouls cupcake soap by ajsweetsoap... this soap looks good enough to eat! =)

hot off the grill

2010-09-01T18:51:00.000-04:00

with labor day fast approaching, i thought it would be prime time to post my burger recipe. i love burgers - between them and bacon, i don't think i could ever go vegetarian. lately i've been hooked on these...

mushroom onion swiss burgers

2 lbs. ground chuck
1/4 cup italian style bread crumbs
1 egg
1 large sweet onion, halved and ringed
salt & pepper
3 tbs. butter
1 8-oz. package of whole button mushrooms, sliced (don't buy pre-sliced, i'll explain later)
6 thick slices swiss cheese
6 good quality hamburger buns
optional: bacon, cooked

1. in a large bowl, hand mix the meat, egg, bread crumbs, salt & pepper til well blended. form into 6 balls. flatten into 3/4" patties. cook to your desired doneness on a grill or in a frying pan (i like mine medium, so i do 6 minutes per side on a grill). when burgers are close to being done on the second side (about 2-3 minutes to go), cover with swiss cheese to melt.
2. while burgers are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet on medium. add the mushrooms and the onions. stir occasionally. side note on the mushrooms: i have found that pre-sliced mushrooms don't soften and absorb the butter like whole mushrooms that you slice yourself will do so i recommend slicing them yourself.
3. if bacon is desired, add a few strips. top with mushroom & onion mixture.

makes six 1/3 lb. burgers. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/mushroomonionswissburgers.pdf

friday fuzzies: saturday edition

2010-08-28T16:06:00.003-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make ~~fridays~~ saturdays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

yesterday i was a little too distracted and forgot about my picks til late... then i couldn't come up with a theme so i decided i'd do them today instead. this special saturday edition's theme is owls, another halloween icon. in fact, i think i'm going to do halloween centered themes every week between now and then because it's by far my favourite holiday of them all.

first up we have a shop with some of the cutest birds ever. this wise grey owl hoot in dusky greys from feltmeupdesigns is the most adorable of her owls, in my opinion.

time flies series 1 vintage brass finish owl by RingRingRing... i love its big eyes and little clock tummy!

halloween owl banner by aprilfoss... cute plushy owls to help decorate your home for halloween!

pumpkin owl wristlet by queenbee55... it works for both autumn and halloween!

owl and tree silhouette pillow by YellowBugBoutique... a perfect owl-themed throw pillow for the season!

glazed muffnuts

2010-08-25T06:47:00.004-04:00

back in july i read this recipe on smarmyclothes' blog for something called "cinnamon sugar muffnuts". now what the heck is a muffnut, you ask? well, they're a cross between a muffin and a donut. they're also healthier than a donut and are made in muffin form. i HAD to try it immediately BUT... had the word "donut" not been thrown in there i would have been 100% satisfied with the recipe as it was (they really are quite good!). what the recipe actually made and what i was expecting (or maybe i should really say wanting) were two different things. i wanted something more towards the taste of a glazed donut because donuts are my BIGGEST weakness.

after making this recipe about 5 times and tweaking a little something each time, i finally came up with my own version of this. it now totally satisfies the homer simpson in me - mmmmmm... muffnuts!

glazed muffnuts - debified!

1-1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup half & half
2 tsp vanilla extract

for the glaze:
2-1/2 tbs sweet cream butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs half & half

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. prepare a muffin pan with 12 baking cups.
2. put all ingredients in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat until smooth. transfer batter into a large measuring cup. pour batter into each baking cup, about 3/4 full.
3. bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. let cool.
4. for the glaze, mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. either dip finished muffnut tops into the glaze, or brush glaze across tops of them.

makes 1 dozen. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/glazedmuffnuts.pdf

3rd anniversary sale!

2010-08-22T11:52:00.000-04:00

it's my 3rd anniversary online!!! you can save 20% on your entire purchase on both my website and my etsy shop when you use code "ANNIV3" during checkout!! sale code valid on purchases made from 8/22/10 thru 8/31/10.
- on my website the discount will be automatically calculated. enter it in checkout step 2.
- on etsy, i'll either send you a revised paypal invoice or i'll make you a custom listing.

happy shopping!!! =)

p.s. offer does not include items in my cafepress store... they sell my items for me and i cannot set discounts.

friday fuzzies

2010-08-20T08:32:00.002-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

today's theme is spiders with my favourite holiday, halloween, being just around the corner! i know a lot of people aren't big fans of spiders, but i promise these will bring a smile to your face.

bob the spider by TheUndergroundMarket... i badly want this burton-esque spider for my house!!! and pretty much anything from this shop would be a great addition to your halloween decor.

custom black widow clutch bag by warning label creations... you choose your colour and she'll provide you with one *AMAZINGLY* crafted bag.

spider charm by DragonsAndBeasties... awww, this is one cute-as-can-be spider.

spider, spider art print by gorjuss... i adore suzanne's work. this print is no exception.

pacha the spider by lovelia... this wide-eyed little girl spider can be made into a brooch or a magnet and would be happy to come live with you!

back on track

2010-08-17T17:27:00.000-04:00

ahhhhhhhh, it's been a whirlwind recently in my house... a lot has been happening. i started a new part-time job which has rearranged my schedule quite a lot, among many other things. but now it's time to get back to the grind in many ways - and one is healthy eating. i've done a little too much fast fooding in the last couple of weeks between stress and convenience so here's step one in getting back on track to my normal healthy lifestyle. my sister introduced me to chicken sausage a couple of years ago - i had no idea such a thing existed. this dinner is something i CRAVE because the chicken sausage is such a nice compliment to fresh vegetables. i can't wait to eat it tonight!

chicken sausage pasta salad

1 box (1 lb dry) penne pasta
1 package (1 lb) sweet italian style chicken sausage, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced into small strips
1 red pepper, sliced into small strips
1 yellow pepper, sliced into small strips
1 zucchini, halved then sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small to medium red pepper, finely diced
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 fresh cloves, minced)
salt & pepper
optional - small yellow onion, diced
optional - marcona almonds

1. cook and drain the pasta according to box directions.
2. in a large skillet, warm the chicken sausage on medium-low if it is pre-cooked. otherwise cook the sausage on medium til slightly golden.
3. in a dutch oven, steam the peppers, zucchini, and grape tomatoes. i steam them separately and only a few minutes each to keep their crispness. once they get oversteamed they become soggy and hard to work with.
4. combine the pasta, sausage and vegetables in a large bowl. if desired, add a small yellow onion at this point.
5. begin making the dressing in a small bowl using the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. mix well. add the red onion to the dressing and continue to mix. pour over large bowl contents and toss. if desired, toss in some marcona almonds as well.

makes about 8 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chickensausagepastasalad.pdf

chocolate in the morning

2010-08-03T10:07:00.003-04:00

i was given a TON of zucchini last week fresh from a garden, and needless to say i didn't want it to go to waste. i made zucchini bread, provencal-style stuffed zucchini, grilled zucchini, and then decided i needed to try something new. i made these zucchini chocolate chip muffins for my breakfasts. they're a really nice alternative to zucchini bread and very convenient in their size to take on the road if needed. plus chocolate for breakfast is always a good thing, right? ;)

chocolate chip zucchini muffins

3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini with the skin on, no large seeds
1 cup vegetable oil or vegetable shortening
3 tsp vanilla extract

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, walnuts, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. in another bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, vegetable oil and vanilla. add this bowl's contents to the dry ingredient bowl and mix well.
4. line muffin pan with foil-lined baking cups. fill cups 3/4 full. bake for 16-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

makes 2 dozen muffins. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chocolatechipzucchinimuffins.pdf

wordless wednesday

2010-07-28T15:12:00.001-04:00

we've had a lot of lightning and thunder lately. and my cat likes to hide from it...

peanut butter perfection

2010-07-27T14:55:00.007-04:00

today i thought i'd share a little background on me and my cooking/baking...

i've never taken home ec. i've never had a cooking class. i'm completely self-taught and the biggest motivator is that i'm a VERY picky eater. recipes that i don't particularly care for i will work on until they can tickle my taste buds. this one is no different. i love peanut butter and chocolate together, but as i've said before i'm not a big fan of chocolate cake. i researched and tried many from scratch chocolate cake recipes before i found one that i could amend to my liking, and then the hard part - adding the peanut butter to work well with it as a standalone cupcake. then i worked on the frosting, and was inspired by the local grocery store's chopped reese's peanut butter cups as a garnish on top of chocolate cupcakes. it finally all came together a couple weekends ago and i must say, this one is so, so good. pair it with a tall, cold glass of milk and you have a dessert to die for.

peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil or vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water

frosting:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sweet cream salted butter, melted
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup half and half

garnish:
reese's peanut butter chips
8 reese's peanut butter cups, chilled and chopped

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. combine and stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. in another bowl, combine together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla with a hand mixer. add peanut butter. add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until you can get them as smooth as you can. add the hot water and continue mixing until all are mixed together.
3. prepare a cupcake pan with baking cups (i use foil lined cups for best results). fill cups 3/4 full. bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. do not overbake. let cool before frosting.
4. for the frosting: using a hand mixer combine all 4 ingredients til smooth. if needed, add additional half and half to get it smooth. garnish with chips and chopped peanut butter cups. side note: after several attempts i found the most aesthetic way to frost them was to hand frost, then hand pipe frosting in the center, only about 2/3 out. then when the garnish is added, it looks so much nicer.

makes 12-16 cupcakes. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/peanutbutterchocolatecupcakes.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-07-23T19:22:00.007-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

today's theme - sushi! (and a big thanks to tokyotombola for helping me come up with the idea while stalking his shop)

teacher's pet crochet fruit protector pink ebi by tokyotombola... cosplay for your fruit!

california sushi roll by Cornstarch... this shop has everything cute and sushi!

sushi bracelet by Komodokat... adorable polymer clay charms for your wrist!

pass the wasabi sandwich sak by WasteNotSaks... such a great way to help the environment!

win a $40 gift certificate!

2010-07-21T10:49:00.005-04:00

how, you ask?

very simple. suggest my facebook fan page to your friends. then have them post who sent them on the wall. the person with the most referrals by 7/31/2010 will win a $40 gift certificate good for anything on my website! 2nd and 3rd place will also receive bonus prizes, so start referring today!

and p.s., if we hit a certain magic number of new fans/likers/or whatever facebook is calling it these days, i'm going to up that gift certificate amount to $50! good luck! =)

great for hot days

2010-07-19T06:59:00.003-04:00

some of you know about my peanut butter & chocolate cupcake recipe... that will be the next recipe i post, i promise! in the meantime, this chicken salad is a nice and refreshing meal for hot days - minimal time with the stove, a chilled meal and summer vegetables in full flavor. plus it's very healthy for those trying to keep in swimsuit shape. i love making this because it's something i can put together in the coolness of the morning and not have to think about being in the kitchen for the rest of the day. it's pretty tasty too!

chicken salad

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 chicken breast halves, partially frozen
4 hard cooked eggs with yolks removed, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
8 green onions, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1/2 to 3/4 cup miracle whip lite, depending on how creamy you like it
salt & (lots of) pepper
optional: large tomatoes

1. heat oil in skillet on medium heat. cut partially frozen chicken into small pieces (keeping it partially frozen makes it easier to cut apart). cook chicken in oil about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. in large bowl combine the eggs, celery, onions, green pepper, and miracle whip. add cooked chicken. season with salt and pepper to taste. (note: we've found that extra pepper gives it great taste). chill for about 2 hours prior to serving.
3. optional serving suggestion - cut tops off of large tomatoes. scoop out the insides and if desired, cut a pattern around the top of the tomato. spoon chicken salad inside.

makes 6-8 servings - enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chickensalad.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-07-16T11:30:00.006-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

first of all, i'm a little behind in the blogging the last 2 weeks. i have been working on a few very special blog posts but i haven't been able to get them done to my liking. =( next week for sure!

second, have you heard of omgcow? well, sheika (who draws the comic) actually inspired the bacon themed friday fuzzies of last week because she made up a cute little song about how her man's love is like bacon. once she knew that, she made me a song too! if you haven't seen the video, click here to view it. in it, she asks for some cowrific, moovelous items. sheika, i hope these work for you!

and p.s. go preorder her comic so she can go see "rent" for her birthday!

cow fondant cupcake topper by GoodiesByMelissa... cow topped cupcakes - how cute!

tutti frutti cow and ice cream cone lampwork bead set by Maybeads... a pink sprinkled cow and ice cream cone! i think the cow really wants that cone too the way it is eyeing it!

barnyard tote by TheHayPatch... i think this is the absolute cutest cow tote i found! yes, it's sharing it with a few other barnyard animals but the cow print makes this oh so adorable!

tiny cow trinket dish by tlgpottery... a cute little cow to help hold your tiny treasures!

french toast - for dinner

2010-07-12T08:22:00.003-04:00

yesterday afternoon while catching up on some tv shows i saw an advert for a french toast special at some restaurant... needless to say i couldn't get the idea of french toast out of my mind so i decided to make some for dinner! the traditional milk and eggs mixture tends to make the bread quite soggy, so here's my recipe that works even for thin bread to keep good texture. it's also sweet enough with the dipping mixture and optional fruit to not have to add more calories with some syrup. then you can add some whipped cream instead. ;)

french toast

1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 tbs granulated sugar
6 slices bread
optional:
powdered sugar
bananas or other fruit
whipped cream
syrup

1. in a large bowl, whisk or use a hand mixer to mix together the flour, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
2. heat a griddle or frying pan on medium heat. if desired, lightly oil the pan's surface (i use pam).
3. dip each slice of bread in the mixture until saturated. cook each side until golden brown.
4. optional - top with powdered sugar, fruit and some whipped cream. serve with syrup if desired.

makes 3 servings - enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/frenchtoast.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-07-09T14:24:00.002-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

bacon!!!! i love bacon. and a lot of things do taste better with bacon. but who knew bacon could be so cute - and in so many forms?

the incredible edible stuffed egg custom amigurumi with a side of bacon by Concertina3... everything in her shop is so darn cute!

bacon scarf (made to order/customizable) by SunshineMonster... bacon to wrap yourself in!

bacon and cupcake magnets by rubbishtees. bacon AND a cupcake? win-win!

and bacon and egg cute kawaii earrings by therubyrabbit... simply adorable!

thinking outside the bun

2010-07-06T15:43:00.003-04:00

i get the urge every now and then for fast food, and one thing i have enjoyed is taco bell's mexican pizza. but it's hard to enjoy it when i now know how many fat grams and calories are in one little one (and how many hours on the treadmill i'll have to put in accordingly!). they have also scaled back the pizza over the years to just beef, beans, cheese and tomatoes so i decided to make my own much healthier and more flavorful version. it's another household favourite!

mexican pizza

i'm not listing quantities of anything on this recipe so that you can build your own pizza to your likings on any size tortilla

2 flour tortillas
refried beans
salsa
ground beef/chuck/sirloin already cooked with taco spices and/or sauce
quesadilla melting cheese and/or mexican blend shredded cheese
tomatoes, chopped
green onions, chopped
sliced black olives

1. preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2. on a non-stick cookie sheet or pizza pan put down a tortilla. cover with a layer of refried beans and then another tortilla. cover the second tortilla with salsa as if it were pizza sauce. add a layer of ground meat and then cover with cheese. scatter tomatoes, green onions and olives on top.
3. bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

a 6" tortilla makes a good sized dinner portion for 1 person. enjoy!

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/mexicanpizza.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-07-02T11:14:00.007-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

today's theme was inpired by my orange and white furbaby. he always makes me smile, so hopefully these picks will do the same for you.

tofu purse by mochikaka... it was inspired by her little furbaby! =)

CHARMS 1" pin by sohokitten... C-heerful! H-appy! A-mazing! R-oly Poly! M-agical! S-uper! all the qualities of my little kitty!

punk cosplay ears by nekochii... now i can be a kitty too ;)

orange candy cat needlefelted by Furritales... so tiny and cute!

year of the tiger chinese zodiac charm by shielou... even though my little guy isn't a tiger, this "big" orange kitty was too cute not to be included!

custom skater design

2010-06-30T10:51:00.002-04:00

thanks to cafepress, i have been able to design special t-shirts for each of my little nieces - kitties, turtles, princesses, ladybugs... but little did i know that my 8 year old nephew was a little jealous he didn't get a special shirt made just for him. he asked me for one of a skateboarder and he wanted it on a black shirt too so this was going to be a bit of a challenge. after a few days of working on it, i came up with this design of a skater breaking through glass:

the skater in this design is based on one of my friends. i'm waiting for him to ask for royalties... and btw, my nephew LOVES it. as soon as he opened the package he put it on. that's the best compliment i could have gotten. =)

♠ ♠ ♠

this shirt is available for purchase in my cafepress.com store: http://www.cafepress.com/OnCupcakeMoon.340434168

peachy pizza

2010-06-28T10:31:00.006-04:00

peaches on a pizza you ask? yes. i was very skeptical too when i first saw richard blais make a similar recipe on one of my favorite tv shows, "top chef". but it got rave reviews on the show and i love peaches, so i decided to try it. his recipe is a bit pricier and a bit of a stretch for my taste buds so i reworked the recipe to this. it's something i really look forward to when peaches are in season.

one more thing: if you don't like hot italian sausage, don't worry - i don't either. this recipe truly misses it when i used mild. the spiciness of the hot sausage doesn't come through anything like when you eat the sausage by itself.

peach topped pizza

premade thick crust pizza dough (pillsbury's works just fine - click here to see what i use)
3 hot italian sausage links, casing removed & cut into 1/4" discs
1 medium sweet onion, ringed
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups baby spinach
sherry vinegar
6 slices provalone cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups asiago cheese, shredded
1-2 fresh peaches cut into slices
peach iced tea for dipping

1. in a large skillet, begin cooking the sausage. after a few minutes add the onion and garlic. let sausage brown and be careful not to burn the garlic.
2. begin preparing pizza crust into a 9"x13" pan. precook the crust if directed to do so.
3. wilt the spinach in the microwave (about 30 seconds).
4. begin forming the pizza insides with the sausage & onion mixture, then the spinach. add some droplets of sherry vinegar across this layer. cover with provalone slices, mozzarella and asiago. top with fresh peach slices. bake pizza as directed on crust package.
5. serve with a small bowl of iced tea for dipping.

makes about 8 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/peachtoppedpizza.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-06-25T10:46:00.001-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's theme - vampires! these vampires are so cute, you'll have to rethink a bloodsucker in your house is a bad thing.

strawberry vampire plush keychain by pamming... she has several plush vampire keychains in her shop - a cupcake, a popsicle, a tomato, a chicken drumstick... and all so very adorable!

little miss vampire shoes by HelloShoes... she's on the front, but there are little felt bows with bats on them on the back of these shoes! love it!

spooky and creepy felted wooly egg toys set by asherjasper... this vampire comes with a set of some of the cutest little spooky friends you'll find!

a cold dish for hot days

2010-06-21T12:46:00.003-04:00

in the summer i crave fresh vegetables but i also love the taste of pizza and pasta, both meals a little warm for 90+ degree days. i had a recipe for tortellini salad that i liked and made, and one day i accidentally bought a sausage and a cheese package instead of 2 cheeses. that sparked the idea of making a "pizza" pasta salad. i adjusted the vegetables, added some cheeses and pepperoni, and changed the dressing a bit to compliment everything in the bowl. i enjoy this for dinner, but it also makes a perfect side to take to a summer gathering.

cold tortellini pasta salad

2 pkgs. (9 oz. each) fresh tortellini (i use 1 each of Buitoni 9 oz. four cheese & sweet italian sausage)
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 small can sliced black olives
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, diced
1/3 lb. deli pepperoni, chopped (optional)
1/3 lb. slab mozzarella cheese, cubed into 1/2" pieces
1/3 lb. slab provalone cheese, cubed into 1/2" pieces

dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs. rice vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1. cook tortellini as directed. rinse in cold water and drain. set aside.
2. put all other ingredients together in a large bowl. add tortellini and mix well. chill for about 2 hours.
3. combine ingredients for dressing. pour over salad. mix well.

makes about 8 dinner sized servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/tortellinipastasalad.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-06-18T06:36:00.010-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's theme is something i've loved since a kid - hello kitty! my bestie cathy (who loves HK so much she even got a tat on her wrist!) sent me a link to a sanrio characters t-shirt the other day and HK has been on my mind ever since...

i already own a few sets of classic kitty hairbows from AlishasCreations. these particular ones are mini red and black, but she makes them in both a mini and a large size, and in many colours and patterns...

zombie hello kitty pendant from KalliopeKreations... hello kitty is just too cute, even as a zombie!

hello kitty corset top from rockcandycorsets... purple + hello kitty + corset = love!

hello kitty vendor craft apron from PoppysGardenGate... you'd best be quick if you want to own this. it is the last one available in this print!

and i recently found this shop - theoldcrow. she's got some great bags for sale, including this fab hello kitty print ladies bag. this one may be at the top of the want list today! =)

little whimsical treasures

2010-06-17T07:10:00.008-04:00

i met brittney gobble in january of 2009, and her name is the name of her shop - bgobbleart. this talented polymer clay artist creates the most adorable little dragons, along with some other creatures from both land (piggies!) and sea (turtles and seahorses!) that you would gladly welcome into your home. she also makes some fabulous miniature wedding cakes!

i own several of her precious dragons but this one is my favourite - her mommy dragon with babies sculpture. part of why is the baby just starting to break out of its egg. it's very small, only about 2" wide and 1-3/4" tall, and it is proudly on display on my dresser. i love the colours, the shimmer, and especially the detailed work she puts into each one of her pieces. there are also embedded glass beads used in both the base and for their eyes which really help bring her creations to life.

another piece i love is this barrette she custom made for me. i'm so happy my hair is more than long enough again to wear it often!

i am thinking my next purchase from her shop will be one of her turtles, perhaps a turtle ring? but i have adored this miniature cake since i first saw it too! hmmmmm...

when you purchase one of her items, you will receive a certificate of authenticity which has a picture of the item, materials used and her signature. isn't that a great idea? speaking of ideas... any of her pieces would make a great gift and keepsake!

a last note, brittney is truly one of my favourite sellers. she exceeds in all areas of a great handmade shop - communication, customer service, craftsmanship and fast, well-packed shipping of her delicate items. so please, make sure to go show bgobbleart and her sculptures some love. =)

we're all giveaway winners!

2010-06-16T18:33:00.005-04:00

what a coincidence, the lilac and white teeny tweet that i won in a giveaway from felt me up designs arrived today. but look who hitched a ride - a teeny tweet in "on cupcake moon" colours! i've got some big plans for this little guy! =)

and now back to my cupcake wrapper giveaway. here are all the pick of the hat entries...

the random winner is...

and per my judges, the new design will be cats and dogs! honorable mentions to robots and bluebirds, so those might show up in my line sometime soon too!

so congrats to poppy and heaven is a cupcake! i will be contacting both of you shortly about your prizes. =)

and all those who entered this giveaway get a their own special deal on my cupcake wrappers! all sets of regular size wrappers are $7 for the rest of this month. if you want to get some, just let me know which ones you would like and i'll set up a custom listing for you!

thanks again for all the entries! =)

comforting summer soup

2010-06-14T10:12:00.004-04:00

thank you for all your cupcake wrapper giveaway entries! i will announce the winners later this week to give my judges time to choose the winning idea. =)

in the meantime, here's a great soup to try out. it's light enough for summer with its tastes and textures, and definitely works as comfort food even with high temperatures outside. i actually prefer to eat it warm - not hot - with a slice of homemade italian bread. and lastly, i cannot forget to mention what my designated taste tester will tell you about this recipe: do NOT leave off the cheese on top. it truly makes the soup.

minestra soup with sweet italian sausage

2 tbs. olive oil
1 lb. bulk sweet italian sausage
2 medium to large yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15.5 oz.) cannellini beans
1 bunch escarole, coarsely chopped
1 32 oz. container (4 cups) chicken stock
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup ditalini pasta
grated pecorino-romano cheese

1. in a soup pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat. add the sausage in pieces and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
2. add the onion and cook until softened (about 4 minutes), then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. add beans, escarole, chicken stock and water. season with salt and pepper. cover and bring to a boil.
4. uncover the pot and stir in the pasta. lower the heat to medium and cook pasta about 7 minutes.
5. top with pecorino-romano cheese before serving. serving suggestion: serve with italian bread.

makes about 6 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/minestrasoup.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-06-11T08:53:00.002-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

one of my favorite animals to go see at the zoo is the giraffe. i had a stuffed animal giraffe as a kid. one of my most-read books was "my friendly giraffe", and i even got to feed one a few years ago (which was really cool!). so today's picks are all inspired from our spotted long-necked friends.

it's a jungle out there glitter resin giraffe pendant by radrocket... even the clouds love giraffes! ;)

jack the giraffe by fluffyfuzzies... he can be your keychain or hold up important notes on your fridge.

giraffe messenger bag by HappyCosmos... the perfect bag to bring to the zoo!

giraffe necklace by StickManJewelry... although this piece is probably my favourite in this shop, you must check out the rest of their creations! =)

four banana, three banana, two banana, one...

2010-06-08T18:13:00.002-04:00

oh, the banana splits! i watched them a lot as a kid, and i love the dessert too. so back in january when i was emailed a banana split dessert recipe i was so excited to try it - til i made it. it was very runny, the cream cheese layer was waaaaaaaay too sweet even for me, and overall it didn't remotely remind me of one of my favorite desserts. it was from one of those email recipe-a-day sites too, so i was pretty disappointed. of course, my sweet tooth and i set out to make our very own version of this summer goodie... i guarantee you won't be disappointed with this!

banana split layered dessert

8 tbs. (1 stick) butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese (lite or regular only), softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbs. milk
2 cups whipped topping, thawed
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained
4-6 large strawberries, sliced
2-3 medium bananas, halved & sliced
1 package (5.9 oz.) chocolate pudding
2 cups cold milk
optional garnishes:
whipped cream
chopped nuts
maraschino cherries

1. preheat oven to 200 degrees F. melt butter. in a 9"x13" pan stir together butter and graham cracked crumbs. press with a fork or bottom of glass to make a crust. bake for 5 minutes. let cool.
2. beat cream cheese, sugar, and 3 tbs. milk with electric mixer. add in whipped topping. beat til smooth and creamy. spread over crust and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
3. spread a thin layer of crushed pineapple over the cream cheese layer. add strawberry slices and banana slices (see picture below).
4. make chocolate pudding with 2 cups cold milk. when well blended, spread as a layer on top of the fruit layer. refrigerate.
5. before serving, garnish with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top.

fruit layer and side note: it would be prettier to put the fruit on top of the chocolate pudding. however, the bananas brown quickly if you do that. so putting them under the chocolate is the best solution.

makes about 15 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/bananasplitlayereddessert.pdf

giveaway time!

2010-06-07T07:36:00.009-04:00

last night i found out i won the cutest little teeny tweet from felt me up designs so today it's my turn to give something away! =)

here's a couple of my new cupcake wrapper designs, and examples of what you can win! there are several designs to choose from. click here to see them all!

the winners will receive a set of cupcake wrappers! yes, i said winnerS!

there will be 2 winners for this giveaway...
- one will be chosen at random in the old fashioned pick from the hat, and they will win a set of 12 cupcake wrappers of their choice of design
- one will be chosen for their idea as voted on by a panel of 3 people i have selected, and the person with the winning idea will receive a set of 12 wrappers in their design

how to enter:
- get 1 entry for leaving a comment on this blog post (please make sure to leave your email if you're not a follower or facebook fan so i can contact you if you win)
- get 1 entry for leaving a comment on my facebook fan page about this giveaway
- get 1 entry for tweeting this - then leave a comment here or on the facebook fan page to say you did:

cute cupcake wrapper #giveaway from @oncupcakemoon - enter at http://oncupcakemoon.blogspot.com/2010/06/giveaway-time.html

- get 3 entries for leaving a comment here or on the facebook fan page with a new cupcake wrapper idea. to see the wrapper designs i already have, please visit my website and my etsy shop

this giveaway will run through this sunday, june 13th, 2010. to be eligible please enter by then.

oh, and this week's banana split layered dessert recipe will be posted tomorrow for those who are looking for it.

good luck!! =)

friday fuzzies

2010-06-04T09:37:00.011-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

it's national donut day! i think my worst sweets downfall is donuts so i do not even attempt to make them. but all these donuts are "good for you" in the sense that there are no calories attached! so enjoy!

the lovely donut necklace by glamasaurus... how can you resist the pink and purple heart sprinkles?!

big pink donut goat's milk soap bar by soapopotamus... now this is the right way to relax with a bubblebath! it looks and smells like the real thing!

sweet donut madness retro style apron by SugarvilleCandles... wearing your donuts has never been this cute! =)

whooooooops!

2010-06-01T12:28:00.002-04:00

well, i was supposed to give you the banana split layered dessert recipe this week but apparently it wasn't in the cards. the bottom shelf in my refrigerator is not stable and it tipped the pan, making it a big mess! it's a good thing i've been taking pictures and noting other recipes i've made so i have back ups if/when needed!

so today's recipe has turned into a manly meal. it's very easy and although it looks kind of autumn with its colors and ingredients, it's actually a lighter yet satisfying dinner. makes great leftovers too!

steak and potato stir fry

1 lb. sirloin steak cut into thin strips (we use strip steak)
1 tbs. olive oil
2 cups potatoes, cubed (we leave the skin on)
2 cups baby carrots, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cups sliced onions
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
salt and pepper to taste

1. heat oil in large skillet on medium-high. add in meat and stir to cook for about 5 minutes or until browned. remove from skillet and set aside.
2. add potatoes, baby carrots and water to skillet. bring to a boil and cover. reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. stir in mushrooms, onions and dressing. return meat to skillet. turn heat back to high and cook while stirring about 5 minutes or until heated through. add salt and pepper to taste.

makes about 5 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/steakandpotatostirfry.pdf

memorial day & supporting our soldiers

2010-05-31T12:21:00.005-04:00

Memorial Day, observed today, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service. we send a resounding thank you to all those who have given their lives to help preserve our freedoms.

♠ ♠ ♠

www.survivorjoe.com is an organization that was started with the idea of giving something back to the men and women of our armed forces that risk their lives on a day to day basis. they wanted to send something that our troops could use, but did not already have.

survival bracelets have been around for a long time. they have been worn by military personnel as a symbol of deployment to the middle east and also by POW/MIA service members during national conflict. not only is the bracelet a symbol of deployment, but it is also a useful survival tool. soldiers make their own bracelets from parachute cord and then cut a button off of their uniform to secure the end.

an army soldier returning home in november 2009 explained to his mom the significance and use of the bracelet as a survival tool that can be applied in an emergency situation to save their life. convinced that every soldier in every branch of service could benefit from having this tool, they started an organization to supply every soldier with a military specification grade bracelet - the Survivor Joe Bracelet.

on the website you can help support our troops by purchasing a bracelet that will be sent to a soldier, or you can purchase a support/donor bracelet or anklet for yourself in your choice of 40 colors. i have a few bracelets and anklets, and one of them is in my "on cupcake moon" colors.

i hope on this day of remembrance you will take the time to check out their website and to learn about their organization. let's all do our part in helping our overseas soldiers come home safely.

friday fuzzies

2010-05-28T11:51:00.017-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

it's my birthday weekend! all of these things are on my "must have" list and if all works out i might even get to buy a couple of them with some gift money!!! or in the *unlikely* case that you might not have bought a present for me yet, any of these will do!!! ;)

kitty cat love necklace by pzcreations22... it's purple (my favourite color) and has kitties and a fishbone and a mouse! oh so cute!!!

take me home zipper pouch from kukubee... because i AM the crazy cat lady! ;)

i have one of ruth's "quentin quail" necklaces that i won in a contest of hers. i think i need a matching perched silver bird ring by BirdlandCreations

Newman Peterson by talkproof... because he's just pure cuteness!!!

and last but definitely not least, nightmare starfish necklace by beatblack... it's so tim burton-esque, i am in love!

one word wednesday

2010-05-26T11:32:00.004-04:00

this fuzzy little baby robin hadn't gotten the hang of flying yet and was sitting in the middle of a street when i was out walking on sunday. i prodded it with my feet to a nearby lawn and hopefully that kept it safe til it got its wings! now let's all say that one word as we look at the photo: awwwwwww! =)

graham crackers and marshmallows and chocolate, oh my!

2010-05-24T12:02:00.014-04:00

i think i may have stated before that i'm not a fan of chocolate cake. it always seems to be too dry and taste fake to me. couple that with every s'mores cupcake recipe that i have come across has chocolate cake based cupcakes. that began my quest to make my own recipe for s'mores cupcakes that was graham cracker cake based instead... i literally put together the best parts of 5 different recipes (some s'mores, some not) to come up with this one, and i have never made a cake that wasn't from a box mix that was this incredibly moist - trust me, you will want to eat this cake batter before baking it! it is a bit of work to get to the finished product, but i *swear* it is worth every bit of your sweat and time to make them. so party at my house this weekend if you want one!

two last things before i get to this recipe... adorning my s'mores cupcake is one of my new skully love cupcake wrappers which will be in my etsy shop later today. isn't it cute?!!! and i have to give a BIG thanks to sue, pili and rhi for their assistance with creating it! you'll each be getting a set! =)

yes, i know you probably want to lick the screen right about now. so here it is!

deb's birthday cupcakes, aka graham cracker s'mores cupcakes

5 c. graham cracker crumbs, divided (3 cups, 1-1/2 cups, 1/2 cup)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs, separated
1-1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. shortening
1-3/4 c. sugar, divided (1-1/2 cups, 1/4 cup)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
bag regular sized marshmallows
milk chocolate frosting (see recipe below)
a couple of hershey bars broken into the little rectangles for garnish
mini marshmallows for garnish
foil lined baking cups for best results

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. turn graham crackers into crumbs using a food processor or blender. empty contents into large bowl. repeat until you have 5 cups. in another large bowl mix together 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.
2. put egg yolks, milk, shortening, sugar and vanilla into a blender. cover and process until smooth. add to graham cracker mixture and mix well.
3. beat egg whites with mixer until stiff. fold into cracker mixture.
4. place 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.
5. place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each baking cup. use the bottom of a small glass (a shot glass works really well, lol!) to pack crumbs into the bottom of each liner. transfer baking cups to oven and bake until the edges are golden, about 5 minutes.
6. fill baking cups about 3/4 full with cake batter. bake 18 minutes.
7. while cupcakes are baking, flatten as many marshmallows as you have cupcakes with your fingers. slide oven shelf out far enough to reach without burning yourself. place one flattened marshmallow on top of each cupcake. slide cupcakes back in and bake for 4 minutes more. side note: marshmallows will lose their puffiness once you remove them from the oven and look like a flat icing on the cupcake.
8. let cool completely. if you would like more marshmallow taste like i do, flatten another marshmallow per cupcake and put under the broiler for about a minute. this will toast them nicely (see photo below). just make sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn!
9. frost cupcakes with milk chocolate frosting. sprinkle with remaining graham cracker crumbs on top. garnish with a hershey bar piece and mini marshmallow.

makes at least 2 dozen cupcakes. ENJOY!!!! =)

toasted marshmallow photo:

milk chocolate frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup hershey's cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup half and half (the hershey's recipe calls for milk but i think half and half makes it taste way better)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. melt butter. stir in cocoa. alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. add small amount additional milk, if needed. stir in vanilla.

makes about 2 cups frosting

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/grahamcrackersmorescupcakes.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-05-21T07:56:00.009-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

cupcakes! CUPCAKES!!! yes, that is the theme of this whole week actually. i have some new products coming with this theme, been baking them, and in general i just have cupcakes on the brain. so let's get started with today's picks...

when Concertina3 first posted this on her facebook page i was completely overwhelmed with its cuteness. OMNOMNOM amigurumi cupcake might someday have to make an appearance in my niece's room!

i was obsessed with stamps when i would play in my grandpa's office as a kid. however "received" and "paid" don't have anything on this cupcake with sprinkles hand carved rubber stamp by skullandcrossbuns. plus i love her shop name - how charming is that?!

i have to thank pili (check out her blog!) for pointing me to this shop. collisionware has some great kitchenware and carryware, but this cupcake oven mitt is too too cute and a perfect reward for all the time i spend in my kitchen!

i couldn't mention cupcakes without picking one for my kitties. they already have one of these adorable cat toys (the kitty pictured in the listing is my little austin!). but since it's one of their favorite toys i have to give another shout out to craftycatlady for her sweet crocheted catnip cupcake. (oh, and read my blog post about her shop)

lastly since it *is* my birthday next week, i think i need this delightful cupcake cutie princess birthday crown by chicbabyrose to help me celebrate my day! there will be freshly baked cupcakes at my house, so don't be late! =)

turtle girls unite!

2010-05-20T17:10:00.002-04:00

a while ago i spent some time trying to create some of my little characters in polymer clay and i learned i am severely challenged in the 3 dimensional arts. i don't know if practice will one day (ever) make perfect, haha, so in my quest to create my beloved turtles in 3-D, i enlisted the custom services of a favorite etsy shop, michellesclaybeads. her style is very similar to my drawing style so she was the perfect person to help me make this a reality. here's my design, and what she made for me:

i truly could not be more pleased with the job that she did on them!!!! =) they are PERFECT!!!! so now you ask why did i have her create them? well, first of all they are an *exclusive design* made just for me! if you purchase a minimum of $30 of my turtle girl design (can be any or a mix of lined or custom invitations, labels, and cupcake wrappers) you get to pick a turtle bead of your choice for your little (or big) turtle girl.

above is a sampling of some of the other beads of hers that i have purchased. all of them are incredibly cute, and when you see the actual size of them (they are very petite little things) they become even cuter! they are very well made and she ships SO fast. my experience with her and her shop has been nothing short of outstanding. michelle lists new beads/items every so often, so make sure to heart her shop to make sure you'll get first dibs on her latest creations.

colorful and flavorful

2010-05-17T10:43:00.004-04:00

ohhhhh nordstrom, how i miss thee! i used to work a couple of blocks away from one of their stores and i quickly learned how wonderful their food was. at least once a week i was at the cafe or espresso bar picking up my lunch. one of my favorite items was their caprese sandwich on homemade focaccia bread which i tried to duplicate. i wasn't very successful until one day i discovered that nordstrom had put out a cookbook. the bread recipe was in there so it was a no-brainer on the purchase. this bread is one recipe i barely change anything with, but i feel i've taken the sandwich insides to a new level. this meal, whether you do it vegetarian or not, is extremely flavorful and satisfying. and pretty to look at too.

rosemary & olive oil focaccia bread

2 pkg yeast
2 cups warm water (105-115° F)
1 tbs sugar
5-1/3 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
dried rosemary
black pepper

1. mix yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup with water, sugar and 2 tbs of flour. let rise for 10 minutes.
2. in a large bowl, stir together 5 cups flour & 1-1/2 tsp salt. make a well in the middle and add yeast. begin kneading.
3. when dough is smooth and elastic, shape it back into a ball and put in a bowl with 1 tbs. olive oil . turn ball once to coat. cover bowl with a cloth and let rise about 45 minutes. punch down with a fork and let rise for 35 minutes longer.
4. use 1 tbs oil (or olive oil flavored pam, works just as well) to grease a 11x15 baking sheet. press and roll dough flat into the sheet. cover with plastic wrap & let rise 15 minutes more. while rising preheat the oven to 425° F.
5. remove plastic and poke dough with a fork to make a nice pattern. brush top with remaining olive oil (to your taste). sprinkle rosemary, salt & pepper across the top and then bake for 18-22 minutes or until top starts to gain a golden color.

bread recipe makes enough for about 8 sandwiches.

♠

cheese sandwich

deli pepperoni (optional)
fresh hand pulled mozzarella cheese, sliced
baby spinach
red onion, sliced
tomato, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder
dried basil
salt & pepper

1. mix together olive oil, garlic powder, basil, salt & pepper. i usually do about 2 tbs of olive oil for 4 sandwiches, with about 2 tsp each of the garlic powder & basil. salt & pepper is to taste.
2. lightly brush olive oil mixture on top and bottom of bread.
3. layer the sandwich with pepperoni, cheese, onion, baby spinach and tomato.

enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/focacciacheesesandwich.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-05-14T13:52:00.009-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

i'm late, i'm late! i normally get these done first thing in the morning but i was printing an order from my new etsy shop and was trying to get it done before the mail carrier got here. since my order was for my monkey pirate design, me thinks me's pickin' pirates as the theme fer today.

if you don't know by now, i love rocky. and i love a pirate theme. this pirate tote bag by rockythezombie is a match made in heaven to carry all my treasures.

i could wear this black and white skulls underbust vest by annaladymoon. maybe then people would take my pirate speak more seriously... or maybe not. either way my closet would be proud to have this in it.

or maybe a cute mini wicked skully necklace by LORiOLA would do the trick. i love this smaller lampwork skully of hers, and the lock and key toggle makes this necklace even better.

i believe this mini pirate mushroom print would be perfect in my kitchen. it's by myzoetrope. if ye don't likes me grub, ye be walkin' the plank!

but i'm thinking maybe my best bet is to get a pet to join in on my pirate adventure. i'd have to recruit my parents' pooch to wear this pirate dog bandana by vedesigns. oh brown dog, where are you??!

one for the boys

2010-05-12T07:33:00.004-04:00

one of the custom design orders i received last year was for an invitation for two boys graduating - one from middle school and one from high school. both were very active in sports at their respective schools so my customer asked for me to use the school mascots as well as incorporate the actual sports that the boys played. a challenge to say the least - and how do i not make this one "cute" since it is for two boys?! after spending a lot of time trying to use the traditional sporting equipment icons for football and baseball and having very little success with a design that worked, i came up with the idea to make framed jerseys for each boy and put the mascot in between.

my customer loved it and i'm very happy with how all it turned out because i feel it's still "me" (my drawing style) but definitely very boy. i also just received another order for this invitation so i'll be working on that today. with graduations on the horizon and this being a prime time to order your invitations, find this truly personalized design with the option of your school mascot & jerseys on my website at http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/item.asp?i=26001

sorta kinda like beef fried rice

2010-05-11T12:09:00.006-04:00

my brother was in town visiting last week so i didn't get a chance to make a dessert for posting... yes, i know that's probably a good thing. no calories for me or virtual calories for my readers to attach to our hips. i did, however, make a nice and healthy version of what's best known as beef fried rice for dinner the other night. it turned out really good so i thought i'd share this recipe this week.

steak and scallions

1 lb. london broil, sliced into small thin strips
2 tbs. soy sauce, divided
2 tbs. vegetable oil
12 scallions, white parts cut into 1" pieces & green sliced into thin slices
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. sugar
4 cups cooked rice (white works best)
salt & pepper to taste

1. in a bowl, toss the steak with 1 tbs. soy sauce. in a large skillet (i used my wok) heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. add the beef and cook about 5 minutes, making sure to stir. transfer beef to a bowl. reserve drippings.
2. in the same skillet add the scallion whites, peppers, and garlic. stir while cooking, about 2 minutes. add the peas. reduce heat to medium-low.
3. in a separate small skillet cook the eggs. chop into small chunks. add to vegetable mixture.
4. add beef back to skillet. add sugar and remaining soy sauce. mix well.
5. add cooked rice and green scallions to skillet. mix well. add salt & pepper to taste.

makes about 6 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/steakandscallions.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-05-07T09:26:00.008-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week's inspiration for my picks is a photo i took recently which reminded me of the red queen's garden. it's now the wallpaper on both my laptop and my phone...

♥ ♥ ♥

i love the red queen character in "alice in wonderland" and therefore i declare it is queen of hearts day. maybe i'll celebrate it further by making a tart recipe for posting next week but in the meantime please check out my friday finds.

i would lurves to own this queen of hearts corset by smarmyclothes. the sass that helena bonham-carter brought to the big screen comes through in this edgy design.

to keep my sexy corset clean while baking tarts i think i'd have to wear this red & black betty boop apron by dotsdiner. the touch of the skulls on the bottom ruffle makes me covet this even more.

i don't think i could ever rest my head on this queen of hearts deluxe pillow by mymimi. she'd have to have a place of honor to match her royal cuteness.

i would add whimsy to my outfits with this adorable red queen necklace by chickitout. the detail she achieves in her tiny polymer clay creations astounds me!

and of course i'd have to get me some fabulous fan art for my wall... sandragrafik did an utterly *amazing* job of capturing the red queen's character in her queen of hearts alice in wonderland print.

keeping my furbabies happy

2010-05-06T10:14:00.006-04:00

like everyone else, i don't have a whole lot of cash to spare but i try to keep my furry children as happy as possible since they do that for me. last year for valentine's day i decided that they would partake in my handmade passion so i looked for some new cat toys. i found craftycatlady's shop on etsy. i loved her knitted/crocheted catnip toys because they were cuter and different than a lot of what else is out there, and because the dessert theme is a big one in her shop! i absolutely adored the crocheted cupcake toy but was a little hesitant about purchasing it because my kitties have all their claws and tend to destroy their toys quickly. i contacted craftycatlady (who is sandi, btw) and she put all my fears to rest. she explained how safety was a primary concern of hers and how she also has a panel of cat testers. she even shared with me some feedback from her customers. after reading her response i decided to purchase the pair of knitted hearts along with the cupcake.

sandi makes these toys as they are ordered and she fills them with organic catnip that she grows herself. when i opened the box with the new toys i was surprised it was possible that they could be cuter in person. immediately they were a HUGE hit!

they like to bat and toss the small hearts around, and they tend to play with each other with the cupcake since it is a larger toy. my worries about their claws? totally gone. her toys are very well made and as destructive as my cats can be, these are holding up tremendously. you can see that in this picture of all the toys taken today. these are the original ones i purchased over a year ago along with a pair of candy cane striped mice i got them for christmas. obviously, all are well loved!

one day i'd like to get them her knitted kitty cake toy to continue the sweet tooth toy theme going. she's even got a mini cupcake now in her shop. i know my furbabies would love it if either one of those toys made it into the house.

so if you have kitties i HIGHLY recommend checking out sandi's shop! the cupcake is obviously this house's favorite of the bunch, but any toy from her shop is worth buying! i can truly say these all her toys are kitty tested, and "mommy" approved. =)

feliz cinco de mayo!

2010-05-05T09:11:00.006-04:00

did you know that "cinco de mayo" is not mexico's independence celebration - september 16th is. may 5th marks the battle of puebla and the mexican army's defeat of a much larger and better-equipped french army attempting to conquer its weakened government. even though today is not what many people think it is, isn't this minor mexican holiday still a great reason to make some recipes from rick bayless' cookbook and down a couple of margaritas? =)

♠ ♠ ♠

i received a custom order last fall for a unique theme - a mexican jumping bean for a child's second birthday. this was a bit of a challenge as i didn't really know where to begin with it. it took me about 5 versions, both horizontal and vertical before i got to the final design. i am very happy with how it turned out, and my customer really loved it too. i even created matching jumping bean address labels with the middle bean. (more design info can be found at http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/item.asp?i=2009)

i think this design works very well for anyone wanting to celebrate any of the mexican holidays, or anyone who wants a cute and different theme for a birthday party. so now go get your maracas, put on your sombrero, and let's fiesta! olé!

quick, easy, cheap and healthy

2010-05-03T06:43:00.006-04:00

so i've gotten a couple of comments lately on how reading my blog recipes might possibly make people gain weight... i sincerely don't want to cause anyone scale anxiety, so i'm not doing a dessert this week. this recipe is not a true risotto, but i don't know what else to call this concoction. it is very tasty, easy and fast to make, and pretty good for you. if it doesn't get fully consumed at dinner, it makes great leftovers. and it looks really yummy in my photo too.

chicken and vegetable risotto

1 tbs. olive oil
1 whole chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
2 chicken bouillion cubes (optional)
4 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped or torn
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 small onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

1. heat oil in large skillet (i find a wok pan to work well too) on medium. add chicken. cook 7-10 minutes stirring frequently.
2. add rice, spinach, onion and broth (and bouillion if desired). mix well. bring to a boil. reduce heat to low. cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. add salt and pepper, and toss in the tomatoes.

makes about 4 servings. serving suggestion: serve with italian bread. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chickenandveggierisotto.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-04-30T09:41:00.010-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

it's robot week because i love wall-e. i don't think i need a better reason than that.

i found a super hero robot from sleepyrobot13. he's one of many cute as can be metal munchkins in this shop. but robbie here was my favorite with his glow in the dark underwear.

i also found a robot who has a pet puppy from DifferentFolks. this henry and oscar the weiner dog design can be ordered on onesies, toddler tees, kids tees and even adult sizes.

finding a soft and cuddly robot was a bit of a challenge, but randomhouse created this adorable tiny robot with headphones plush toy. he also comes in a larger big brother size and has a sister bot decked out in pretty pink.

and then i found this silver robot vinyl sticker set by PoorRobot. it comes with robots, birds, lightning bolts, gears, teardrops, bows and hearts, perfect for creating your very own story about all your newfound robot friends.

croquet, anyone?

2010-04-28T07:01:00.001-04:00

i take long, long walks outside a few times a week to escape the monotony of the gym. i always bring my camera with me just in case anything strikes my fancy, and this past weekend i took this photo. it reminded me of the red queen's garden from "alice in wonderland"...

a chocoholic's dream

2010-04-26T09:58:00.009-04:00

droooooooool! if you like chocolate, this week's dessert recipe is perfection. the bottom part of this bar has a similar taste to a brownie, but it has a much lighter texture to it. the mousse part is wonderfully light and tasty too. next time i make it, i might add some nuts to the "brownie" layer to add a little variety - and because it was a suggestion from my designated taste tester. amazingly these bars aren't as rich as you might expect them to be either... ok, ok, i'll stop and just get on with the recipe!! =)

chocolate mousse bars

1 pkg Baker's semi-sweet chocolate squares, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk, divided
4 eggs
1 pkg (3.9 oz.) chocolate instant pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed whipped topping

1. heat oven to 325°F
2. melt 6 chocolate squares in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between. mix melted chocolate with sugar, flour, 1/4 cup condensed milk and eggs until well blended. pour into 8" or 9" square pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3. bake 35 minutes for an 8" pan, 25 minutes for a 9" pan or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. make sure not to overbake. let cool completely.
4. beat dry pudding mix with remaining condensed milk with a whisk for about 2 minutes. stir in whipped topping and spread over dessert. melt remaining 2 chocolate squares same way as above. drizzle over pudding layer. refrigerate until drizzle becomes firm. another option is to drizzle chocolate designs on wax paper. refrigerate. peel and place on top of each square before serving.

hint: to get nice clean cuts of the bars when you choose to drizzle the chocolate on top, refrigerate for about an hour after adding the pudding layer. cut but leave in the pan. then drizzle the chocolate over the top and refrigerate again. the chocolate on top will need to be cut for serving but it will be much easier to do so if it is just the chocolate.

makes about 16 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chocolatemoussebars.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-04-23T10:43:00.012-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

this week my theme is tim burton. his exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City will be closing on monday, and i very sadly was not able to take the trip to see it. for as much art history as i have studied, i think this man has influenced my creative life more than any other artist. and if i won the lottery today, every single one of these items would be mine!

this mad hatter organic button waist coat is by alterecoclothing. i love the purple on the cuffs and waistband, and the multicolored buttons... oh do i wish this was hanging in my closet!

this orange and turquoise square skull dish by maryjudy reminds me especially of the furniture in "beetlejuice". and it would look so nice in my house!

i adore everything in camamiel's shop. she has such cute dark things, and roberta the pirate pixie doll looks like she could be the love child of the red queen and stayne from "alice in wonderland".

MissMillificent's dolls, to me, embody the spirit of tim's artwork. lucy lou art doll has something black and unctuous broiling under her neat and presentable appearance, and she has a very special apple for her teacher...

last but definitely not least, this nightmare before christmas cigar box purse by SuperVixenBadGirl is worth visiting. it has several of the characters from this all-time favorites movie of mine on other sides, and even better - some rhinestones in the swirls for some glam.

accessories that hit home

2010-04-22T15:34:00.015-04:00

ahhhh, mother’s day. one of three days of the year i agonize over what to do for my mom. we are total opposites in most things and trying to find something besides flowers for her can become a chore. but now I have a great go-to - my friend sue’s jewelry & accessory shop, AccessoReese.

i’ve known sue for years. we used to work together in corporateland, and being two creatives in a world of programmers and accountants we naturally bonded. we learned quickly what a great team we were. in fact, i designed her logo and helped come up with her shop name. =)

last year she created this “connected heart” design for a pendant and this is the one my mom received.

it’s a wire formed heart that can be left plain, have dangling beads or have wire wrapped beads… the options so far in pendants! the heart shape can also be incorporated into a bracelet or made into earrings.

the sentiment behind the heart was perfect for my mom for mother’s day: they are made in a pattern of touching hearts symbolizing a heart connected with yours. since she’s now 750+ miles away from me, this pendant was exactly what i needed to give her. because each one is individually made, i picked blues for my mom since it is her favorite color.

here’s a couple other pieces from sue's shop that i love... she makes unique earrings, necklaces and is always selling her stacking rings.

over the years sue has also helped fill my jewelry drawer with many one-of-a-kind custom pieces. my hands down, all-time favorite jewelry item is this wire flower choker necklace she made for me to wear at my brother’s wedding a few years ago. it’s a wonderfully versatile and edgy piece – it can go dressed up like the original intention, and also looks great with a simple black tank and skinny jeans.

i cannot thank sue enough for her wonderful friendship and influence in my life. so please help me thank her by taking a peek at her etsy shop. just don't tell my mom she'll be getting some dangling flower earrings on may 9th. =)

wordless wednesday

2010-04-21T10:33:00.002-04:00

more cool wHip

2010-04-19T10:28:00.005-04:00

ok, i admit it. my sister and i used to sneak and eat cool whip out of the tub as kids. and i think since making my faux ice cream cake, i can't seem get it off my mind! now that strawberries are in season i was looking for something to make with them and cool whip. these squares have a perfect balance of sweet and salt to them between the strawberry, cheesecake, chocolate and pretzel tastes.

this past weekend i did over 20 miles of cardio, so i think i can afford the little bit of butter in this recipe. this doesn't take a lot of time to make, but a lot of refrigeration time for the layers. so if you have the patience to keep going back and forth, they are well worth making! =)

layered strawberry cheesecake squares with a chocolate pretzel crust

2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar, divided
13 tbs butter, divided
6 squares of Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolates
1-1/2 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 tbs milk
1-1/2 cup whipped topping, thawed
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg strawberry flavored gelatin
1-1/2 cups cold water
1 qt fresh strawberries, sliced

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix pretzel crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and 10 tbs of butter (melted). press onto bottom of 13"x9" pan. bake 10 minutes. let cool.
2. melt chocolate squares and remaining butter. stir well. pour as a layer over the pretzel mixture. refrigerate.
3. beat cream cheese, remaining sugar and milk until well blended. stir in whipped topping. spread as the next layer but not until chocolate layer has hardened. refrigerate.
4. in a large bowl, add boiling water to gelatin. stir 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. stir in cold water. refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until some thickening occurs. stir in strawberries and spoon over cream cheese layer. refrigerate 3 hours.

tip: allow squares to sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for easier cutting.

make about 18 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable copy of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/layedstrawberrycheesecakesquares.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-04-16T11:17:00.007-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

i think i will dedicate this week's somethings to some adorable friends from under the sea.

i'll begin with OctoPepper, a teeny tiny polymer clay sculpture. lindzart has a rainbow of these cuties in her shop and i had a very hard time choosing my favorite!

i loved this great way to give a thrift store item new life! this reclaimed octopus cup and saucer was sandblasted with an original design by BreadandBadger.

OopisNein makes these super soft and squishy fuzzy octopods. this pink octopod has a green accent fabric with a mushroom print and can strike whatever pose your heart desires.

i heart zombies LOTS

2010-04-15T12:02:00.013-04:00

let's see - where do i begin with this one?!? rocky the zombie was one of the very first shops i hearted on etsy, and was found when i was randomly searching for things under "cute skulls". i fell in love with little rocky immediately and knew i'd be in big, big trouble! rhi's artwork is the perfect marriage between cute and punk, and besides the t-shirts and hoodies with my artwork on them, the ones i own from her are truly my favorites!

the first shirt i purchased was the "zombie lovers" design as can be seen below. i have *the* perfect items to go with it: black leggings, a gray, black & red plaid mini, a black cardigan, studded belt, and either black patent mary janes or black chucks... can you see how i fell for this little guy?

rhi used to hand paint all the tees - so i know my first couple of shirts are truly originals. but now to help in her quest of rocky world domination, her items are screened. besides women's shirts and hoodies she has onesies, kids tees, men's clothing, tote bags and paintings. i own, ahem, (quite) a few of my favorite zombie apparel items and i can attest to them lasting very well through many washes. there are also a few designs i'd like to get one day as an 8x8 painting. here are a couple of my favorites... amazingly i don't have that skull cupcake one yet! note to rhi: soon!!!

rhi makes quality products, ships fast (from the UK no less!) and i am always happy to consume the candy that gets included with my purchases. she's very personable and will cheerfully accommodate custom orders - such as my zombie kitty (i love the touch of the fish!!).

she's even in kahoots with brooke van gory designs in making rocky screens for totes and handbags, which brooke sews together... of course i have one (yes, this is mine!) - do you really need to ask?

so check out her shop, fan her facebook page, and if you decide to purchase something make sure to tell her deb sent you. i think the best way to sum up this favorite handmade of mine is "cute, punk and zombified!". =)

p.s. i don't know if you can tell at its small size, but i even drew my avatar wearing a rocky shirt. heee!

pie for dessert - or breakfast!

2010-04-12T07:12:00.005-04:00

after a weekend of my grandma in the hospital, my parents having to put their dog down, and a monday morning that has already consisted of cleaning up some kitty poop on the carpet... i think i need a comfort breakfast! i had leftover cool whip (make sure you pronounce the "h" like stewie griffin) and bakers chocolate squares from when i bought ingredients for my faux ice cream cake, so i made this pie over the weekend. it's a great recipe because you can change the flavor to your heart's desire! and now a piece is sitting next to me being eaten as i type this up. ahhhh, mondays...

chocolate bottom cream pie

8 tbs butter, divided
25 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
2 tbs sugar
4 squares of Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolates
2 bananas, sliced
1 package of instant pudding and pie filling (i've used banana, vanilla and white chocolate so far)
1-3/4 cups cold milk
1 cup (or more) whipped topping

1. melt 6 tbs of the butter, place in bowl. add wafer crumbs and sugar. mix well. set aside 2 tbs of this mixture.
2. press remaining crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and sides of a 9" pie plate. set aside.
3. microwave chocolate and remaining 2 tbs butter on high for 1-2 minutes, until melted. stir to mix. drizzle chocolate evenly on top of the pie crust. top with sliced bananas. set aside.
4. prepare pudding with milk as directed on package. pour evenly over bananas. refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
5. before serving, top with whipped topping and reserved crumbs. let pie sit out about 15 minutes for easier removal from pie plate. store any leftovers in refrigerator.

makes about 8 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable pdf file of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/chocolatebottomcreampie.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-04-09T10:43:00.006-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

today's theme - monsters! i don't think anyone would mind these hiding under their bed or in their closet.

here's sally the swamp monster from RedMarionette. how can you not love a monster who loves to daydream and pretend she is a princess? she keeps secrets too - in her pocket belly!

this is one of many adorable and odd creatures you'll find in AnkleBiterBeads' shop. this lampwork monster bead would make a great pendant or bracelet charm.

i also found some monsters for your feet. i love these googly eyed monster mary janes by emandsprout, perfect for making a statement without saying a word.

wordless wednesday

2010-04-07T06:59:00.003-04:00

peanut butter and chocolate goodness

2010-04-05T13:53:00.004-04:00

my peeps flower cake was long gone by the time yesterday arrived so i had to come up with another dessert to bring to dinner. it was a beautiful and warm day - perfect for this peanut butter & chocolate faux ice cream cake. with this recipe, even those who aren't big fans of sweets ended up eating more than one piece. and since i've been requested to share it asap, here it is!

peanut butter & chocolate faux ice cream cake

ingredients:
12 Nutter Butter sandwich cookies, divided
3 tbs. butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tub whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1. crush 8 of the cookies in a resealable plastic bag with a rolling pin. mix the cookie crumbs with butter. press onto the bottom of a foil-lined loaf pan.
2. mix cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. with a spoon stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping.
3. remove ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture into a small bowl. in the small bowl stir in the chocolate until well blended and set aside.
4. spoon half the remaining cream cheese mixture over cookie crust. layer with chocolate mixture. top with the rest of the cream cheese mixture.
5. freeze 4 hours or overnight until firm. invert onto plate and remove foil, then reinvert onto serving platter so that the crumb layer is on the bottom. top dessert with remaining whipped topping. break apart or crush the last 4 cookies and sprinkle cookie crumbs.

makes about 10 servings. enjoy! =)

♠ ♠ ♠

download a printable pdf file of this recipe at...
http://www.oncupcakemoon.com/recipes/pbandcfauxicecreamcake.pdf

friday fuzzies

2010-04-02T10:23:00.009-04:00

[fri'dā fuz'ēz] n. handmade finds of pure cuteness to make fridays even better

every friday i will share with you something or things that i found which meet the following criteria:
1. it's cute
2. it's handmade
and most of all,
3. i covet it

with easter being this weekend it's time for some bunny love!

check out this little creation by Red Fenyx - a shop i stalk regularly. this OOAK winged green bunny miniature figurine is just one of many too, too cute pieces!

this cuddly bunny hat necklace and pendant from the poppy tree is perfect for spring. i adore kelly's artwork and even more that she makes them into such cute pieces to wear.

this last one made me smile real big when i saw it - what a cute idea from boobiebeads (www.calienteartglass.com)! this lampwork antiqued translucent white bunny skull has carrot crossbones and is called "attila the bun".

do you know what a "buttfreckle" is?

2010-03-31T16:25:00.009-04:00

what exactly IS a "buttfreckle", you may ask? it's an incredibly cute little plush ball with eyes that comes in many colors, textures and sizes. but how did it get the name "buttfreckle"? that can be explained in the undercover process bridgette has to go through to get them into her shop (see http://buttfreckle.etsy.com)

"All freckles are snatched off quickly and with excessive force. They are then taken to a secret lab where they are exposed to radioactive caju dust which causes the freckle to greatly increase in size. After exposure to the dust, the freckle's unique characteristics become easily visible including their very own butt freckle (a special glass bead sewn on the rear)."

i think i should start with the story behind my first purchase... i initially saw these cute little creations in the etsy treasuries and fell in love with them. my brother's nickname as a kid was "FB", short for frecklebutt which i think is self-explanatory. once i found out what they actually were, i knew i needed to send one of these to him after all these years. i purchased a blue grimace buttfreckle for him, perfect for his son in case he didn't find the gift as humorous as i did. thankfully he did have a sense of humor with it when he received it but he kept asking me "what do i do with this now?"

and what does one do with a buttfreckle? bridgette does have a list of ideas posted in her shop announcement, and here are a few: hide it in the medicine closet, stash it in your child's lunch, throw it at the cat, set it on your desk, tag the back of your bro's head... the possibilities are endless! after the purchase for my brother, i started my own little collection of these characters. i have a couple of fall/halloween ones, a couple holiday ones and a few others that match my decor colors. i like to keep them out on display but where they are displayed has changed a few times! my cats seem to think these little guys are included with their toys (they average around 2.5"-3" round depending on the freckle, and some come quite a bit larger). they stole my mummy right before halloween and it went missing until nearly christmas. then they stole my snowball right before christmas for about a week. one of these days i'll have to purchase a buttfreckle just for them.

i don't think there is a buttfreckle in bridgette's shop that i don't love. they are all so cute, and the descriptions of where each freckle came from are truly worth reading. her sense of humor makes her little creations even more endearing! each time i heart one instead of buying it right away it ends up sold within a day or two. apparently i am not the only one who is totally smitten with these little guys! =)

a very cute & easy easter cake

2010-03-30T10:59:00.010-04:00

this week's recipe isn't so much of a recipe as it is an idea. with easter being this weekend, i thought this would be the perfect thing to post.

i originally found this recipe as a sunflower cake. the directions are to make a yellow cake and frost it with chocolate frosting. you arrange the peeps the same way but put graduated sized chocolate chips in the center of the flower. i LOVE chocolate, but chocolate frosting isn't my favorite. and i think of sunflowers being late summer, not spring. so i thought - how can i make this cake better for me, and more "easter"?

1. i made a strawberry box mix cake (i have yet to find a cake recipe from scratch that tastes as light and as good as a box mix). i also made it in two 8-1/2" rounds which had a scalloped edge like petals.
2. i frosted it with vanilla funfetti frosting. a big hint - make sure to do the top last to make sure the peeps and sprinkles will stick.
3. i arranged sugar-free peeps around the edge like petals (peeps facing in). i used the sugar-free peeps because they don't come attached in rows like the regular ones. i then took the sprinkles that came with the funfetti frosting and scattered them in the center of the "flower". didn't it turn out cute?!

♠ ♠ ♠

as i'm outside on my deck taking pictures of my cake, my furry child kept whining at the door to come join me. i finally let him out and a few minutes later he decided that the little bunny wasn't going to be the only one in my pix today. =)