Making Scuppernong and Muscadine Jelly

Even though I don't have "baking" pictures to share with you today  (I could have taken pictures of the bread that I made to go WITH the jelly)...but we ate it....before I could think. Which means I have no picture to post.  Oh, well....  Maybe I need to make some more?

Now, I'm getting off track...back to jelly.  Where do you begin?
Scuppernongs!Bronze colored ... a few Muscadines (purple)

Find a REALLY good friend

who planted scuppernongs

and wants to share

and go pick some

like these

or

you could plant your own???

rinse

take out leaves and stems

 place in large pot and just barely cover the grapes with cool water

 bring to a boil and continue boiling until they are somewhat tender

this is a good time to go fold clothes

or load the dishwasher

or just stare at the pot

 take out any daily frustrations with a masher

and just keep breathing in that AWESOME aroma!!!

 cool and then drain in large colander

not too pretty

place in cheesecloth and SQUEEZE

REALLY not pretty

strain juice in a fine strainer at least twice

to remove any seed escapees or skins and pulp

place some type of ascorbic acid like Fruit Fresh to keep the color

(especially if you stop here and are going to make juice to drink or to freeze for jelly making later

have everything ready...this next part goes pretty fast

You will need cleaned, sterilized jars, lids, rings, jar funnel, lifter, sugar, Sure Jell, measuring cup, spoon and dipper

measure juice and  pour in 'Sure Jell' or like product according to package directions for cooked jellies (I followed Concord grapes)

heat to boiling, stir often

 heat lids and keep warm

(yes, these are not your typical lids)

I feel the need to explain...

I buy jars of mixed fruit that come in these CUTE little jars

The fruit gets eaten

The jars get cleaned

And I get to use them again

OKay!  Confession time.  I REALLY use these jars to put my curd in to freeze...cause they are SOoO cute...I forgot to get new lids for my jelly jars.

NOW, that felt better.  These lids have the rubber type rings inside...see?

And they will seal...but if you do this, check and make sure they seal!

 When juice comes to a boil add the pre-measured sugar all at once, stirring constantly and bring back to boil

 reduce heat, cover  and simmer for 10 minutes~


DIRECTIONS Have CHANGED!!
I won't put the old directions on...just so I don't confuse you
andyour jelly doesn't turn out
and you have to pour it on your toast
and that makes you mad.
I want you to be my friend...so just know the boxes have changed.

Well, suffice it to say, I don't know where these "new" boxes of Sure-Jell went; but every box since then has been like the ones I've always used in the past.  Makes me want to go to the land fill and pull out those boxes just to make sure I am not going insANE....pROMISE....i AM ABsolutely normal!
At any rate

This is a lesson
ALWAYS READ the Directions on the box
for times and amounts! 
But I really did like the "new" one.
And if I ever find it again, I will let you know!

I will tell you that the "old" type says cook one minute and FOR ME that is never enough...It has to jell slightly when dripping off the spoon.

SIGH...Ok I've been meaning to edit this and NOW it's done.
I hope I have not led too many astray.

Now back to directions.....

remove from heat, ladle into jars, add lids (or lids and rings)

use firm-tight, but don't exert extreme pressure

leave to cool undisturbed until the lids make a popping noise and seal.

phew!  I think it took longer to post than to actually make...

JELLY!

(I just love the color the muscadines added to the normally champagne color of scuppernong jelly)

Guy Cake

Birthday cakes produce mental pictures of delicate roses and soothing pastels on pristine white icing with swirls...........NOT. Not today!    Guy...roses, swirls, pastels--just not seeing it.  Well, maybe a few swirls.

I asked my husband (the man who lets me play with food and doesn't bat an eye when the icing takes over the fridge) what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday.  I think I meant, white, yellow, chocolate....I'm not exactly sure, because then I followed up with "pick anything you want".  And...

HE DID!  Italian Cream....

Now Italian Cream is a good cake.  Moist and very tasty.  But I was thinking of using my newly found love for decorating...I really don't know what I was thinking.  I mean I've already made him a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream roses, beautiful shells and...maybe you may have seen a previous post of mine at about the time I finished my Wilton Classes.  He was SO complimentary of his "delicate" cake.   What can I make with Italian cream? It's bumpy!   I haven't taken class III yet.  Fondant?  wha?  No to self.  Not yet.  But I did come up with an idea.  Take a look.....

 He was an All-American back in the day...

~

Uh huh, I'm thinking football, aren't you?

Cut a wedge of yellow cake and make a partial stadium.  Buttercream!  Yes!
And somewhere, one of the fantabulous bloggers I follow posted a a picture of a "crowd" with sprinkles.  All right!  I have sprinkles!

 Field, field?   I know!   Tinted coconut...and that's a main ingredient in IC cake.  OKAY!  On a roll!!!!  And we need yard markers---royal icing and food pens.  Sure!  Royal icing on floral wire...will that work?  It did!  Age.....I got it...those yards to go markers on TV!  And of course Happy Birthday on top of the stadium.  Phew! 

The Happy Birthday Boy!

and

GoOoOo Dawgs!

My Little Tarts

This is not a how-to but rather a "share".  I still can't believe that adding just a bit of lard can make such a difference with crust...but it REALLY can.  Try it and see.  I substituted 1/2 of the shortening called for with lard.  I'm telling you...REALLY GREAT STUFF!

Here's the pictures of our desert tonight!

Lime Tarts!

with real whipped cream...mmmm!

Check out this recipe for crusts like mine at COOKS.  EXCEPT...hint... remember I half the fat with Crisco and lard....yes, my friend...L..A..R..D.  Try it and see.

Heavenly Cradle Cake

I'm telling you...I see all your FABULOUS how to's and the pictures of your ideas and, and, and....there is just not enough time.  So I bookmark them.  Every once in a while I have the opportunity to pull up one of those favorites and try it.  But not before I'm seeing it in my head...an on paper...and while I'm driving (not literally).   Before I show you my twist on something already done by others (and done perfectly, I might add), you need to check out some inspirations like this cute, cute baby with blanket cupcake  from  My Cake School  and then maybe you want to look HERE for a crib pattern.  My little cake only needed a wee little cradle...that rocks....with a baby and blanket inside....and sitting on a cloud.  It was in my head!

This is my interpretation: 

Our daughter is a L & D (labor and delivery nurse...not that you needed to know, except then you would wonder what the L D initials on the cradle  meant...maybe you would think she has a baby named Leslie Denise. or something like that) and I just thought that being in L& D was occasion enough to try out the patterns...the ones I had seen and the one they became in my head...

Cradles hold little gifts from God...

God lives in heaven...

I can't make God or Heaven....

But I can make a cloud for the cradle to rest on!

So what did my labor and delivery nurse-daughter do? 

Take a picture on her phone and posted on FB!

This was not my first.

My first cradle is baby-less.

I couldn't keep my hands off of it.

It was just too cute.

It was all open lattice work.

I must say...It was constructed and repaired several times.

See....

Now, here it sits...all alone...waiting for "THE BOX".

Talk about a professional pattern.........I copied in class on a scrap piece of parchment paper.  I found the pattern on line....once ( I have really looked).  Sorry I can't give original credit.  BUT the pattern below was given at a Wilton Class. 

The cradle on the cake was made with a solid royal icing head, foot board and bottom with the "lattice" sides. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing the cradle. I hadn't seen any lately. Maybe you've made some. PLEEZE share. I'd love to see them!

Petit Four Journey....Attempt #1

As the title reflects...I have ventured off into the unknown and certainly into a very unfamiliar abyss.  I have made my first petit fours.  I will continue my quest for them.  They are just such cute confections.  Well, some people make such cute confections.  Mine are...well...made with love.  See?

And I'm a glutton for punishment, so here's a close up....

And just because I could, here's some more that are done in white...

After looking at SEVERAL U-Tubes on the topic, I found that temperature is a big deal.   Heating glaze over a hot water bath and coming to 100 degrees and no more that 130 is essential to keep the shine.  Guess I went over on the blue and just right on the white, huh?  Without even knowing.  Hate it when I find out something AFTER the fact.  My flowers are from my Wilton classes.  I still have plenty :)

Also learned that many use pound cake, cut 1 - 2 inch squares, placed on their sides and then cut with a round or square cutter to make pretty cutouts with no brown crusts...unlike mine, which have a wee bit of brown character.  Some freeze their cakes and then cut.    Maybe next time.  These were made in a Wilton's petit four pan.  I  saw some baked in silicon on videos.  Great idea (they don't brown very much) SOoOoO Maybe...but I just bought these.  So guess I can try again and watch for color?  Or just buy the pound cake.  We'll see.  I think they are so dainty looking; but I have some more practicing to do.

I will end with the taste....they were delish!  Some say too sweet on the blog posts, but...they are glazed with sugar....go figure!

The One-Bite Mini's

Hi!    I am just a regular everyday baker, who sometimes hits the mark and other times misses terribly. and psst......some days I don't even bake.   I am willing to share even my disasters because maybe that will save you from making the same errors.... or  add some laughter to your life (not because I am funny, but because some of the errors might be "unbelieveable")  Interpreted:  YOU would NOT do it that way....  But everything is not a disaster and while I am not a mega blogger (those people are SO inspiring) I think I can share that "in-between" stage....not a beginner and certainly not a professional....yet.  Guess I am a LEARNER (willing to share).

I made some mini cupcakes to take to work today.  All are butter cakes with a variety of buttercream icings:  chocolate (with sugar rose buds), wedding mint, orange, lemon, coconut and blueberry.

I transported in muffin  pans, but I really did serve them in a baker's box-they didn't need to be left out for two days, but the "window" on the big box let everyone see the little cakes.  I find that my cake tote does not have deep enough cups to keep them from falling over...so back into muffin/cupcake pans-- mini and regular to travel any distance.  It's like a safety belt for cupcakes :) 


It was our first day back.  This is my 28th "first"day back.  Anyway...it seems EVERYONE is on Weight Watchers.  And it is a really good thing to do...many are successful. I WAS one of them...for a while.... But almost no one wants cakes and pies (sniff, sniff) anymore.  And just when I'm getting better at it, too (sad face).  But a small bite is sometimes a very good thing.  You get a taste of sugar, but not too much.  The trick is......eating just one.  So take them to a crowd.  And when the dust clears you'll be lucky to have one left.  So that's why you sample before.  SMART IDEA! 

HEY!  Guess what?  Someone is giving away some really sweet cupcake tins and coordinating plates and cups!!! Isn't that great?  I want, want, want it to be me.  Pleeze, (hands raised and jumping up and down--you know...the annoying student in the class)  pick me....(eyelashes now fluttering and sweet with  a winning smile).  See, I settled down. The contest is <sigh> all over and no prize for me...but you can still check out her blog  HERE at Cake Journal.....but don't forget me....ok?

Orange Cake Update

Special Louisiana guests have come and gone. Grill is cool and deck fans are now off (helped, but was still HOT), and dishes are put up. A rare nap DID take place...and now here I am...with you...and I am happy to report

What is that saying? 

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

Well, I sure am glad because that would be a lot of typing!

So....like I promised

Orange Cake

One box Pillsbury Classic White Cake Mix

3 whole eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 small package sugar-free orange jello

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients until moistened and beat about 2 more minutes at medium speed until smooth. Prepare pans, pour in and bake.  I used an 8x3 inch round pan and baked about 37 minutes.  Make SURE cake is completely done, but not overdone (ovens vary).  Cool cake in pan at least 12 - 15 minutes then turn out on cake rack to completely cool before torting into two layers.  I filled with a pineapple filling (I gave another link that has a custard base on the last post).  Then cover with a pinapple orange cream cheese frosting.  I added a tablespoon of orange concentrate and 2 tablespoons of the pineapple juice to my favorite cream cheese frosting.  You can find a classic cream cheese recipe at Martha Stewart's site.  Decorate as you wish or not and just ENJOY!