Whats For Dinner? CAKE!!!

I recently have found a new obsession. Cake.

Not eating it mind you, though I do love to eat cake. But making them! It all started with the Cake Boss. We have netflix and i look for fun clean shows to watch while cleaning, doing little projects, scrapbooking, etc. Well I started watching Buddy and the gang on this show and I was hooked. I had to try Fondant! It was just killing me.

Well my girl was having her 18th birthday party and it was going to be kind of a big deal to me and Lionel. Because we kind of make a big deal out of her, please do not scold us. Anyways, I did not want to just dive right in and make hers first so I decided a test cake was in order! But first I researched the web.

Love youtube for how-to's and what not to's. I ordered from Amazon, the cheapest tools in the world by the way, Amazon rocks! And there I was all set to do my first cake. Oh it was SO exciting. I think it was combining my love for art and design with my love for food that really sent me over the top. Anyways I started in layers. Bake the cakes. Get them in the fridge chilling a few days. Make home made frosting and then get the cakes out, level them, dirty ice them(crumb ice). Then chill a few more hours, then ice again, chill a few more hours. I could hardly wait to roll out the Fondant!

I got all set up and proceeded to follow each step to the letter. And in less time than I would have guessed, it was a thing of beauty!

Love at first fondant! And that's all it took. that first cake, now I am addicted to cake sites, recipes, styles, and practicing for any reason at all!

Next I will show my most recent cakereations!

Some Lentil Love!

What's for dinner? Morrocan Lentil Stew.

(how much do I love my iphone Hipstamatic? Tons!)

Oh so excited about this meal! This is about to become one of my all time favorites. The simplicity is that it's 15 minutes of prep, cooks all day in the crock pot and you come home to the most glorious smells wafting through the house greeting you at the door. I was seriously drooling by the time I got to the pot to stir and check the meat, AH! So perfect.

Ok here is the recipe which is a mox of several I have seen and please feel free to embellish, I did!

1 bag green lentils (there are different colors)
1 small roast or bone/hamhock (I love a small roast, beef, lamp, pork, etc.)
2 or 3 chopped carrots
1/2 chopped onion (I like purple but use your fav)
2 cans diced or whole tomato
1/2 a head of garlic pressed or tons of garlic powder
1 tbls basil or Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsely
1 tbls salt
1 tbls black pepper (yes a lot)
1 tbls chili powder
1 tsp cummin
1 tsp thyme
1/2 c Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c lemon juice
1 can chicken broth
3 cans water

Ok, so these measurements on the spices are give and take. I am not an exact measure-er type of person, so be sensible and omit what you do not like. Also red potatoes are good in this, I was out. If you want it more like a soup, add more water. Rice wine vinegar would be good instead of the Worcestershire as well. Rinse and sort the lentils like the bag says but no pre-soaking. Brown your roast if you use roast, then throw it all in the crock pot, cook on low for 10 hours, not kidding.

We ate it with rice crackers to keep it gluten free and a garnish of Mediterranean hummus. Yummy.

Bon Appetit!