Copper Wire Wrapped Cuff - Inspired by Swirled Fudge!

Poking my way thru some awesome images at Pixabay - (an awesome public domain image site where the posters allow you use their images! ) one afternoon last week, I found this:

This was posted by Shirley of whom I became a fast fan.
I immediately slobbered on myself, because - I am REALLY watching what I eat. (not a diet - i don't believe in them - a life change. 6 lbs so far!)

I got lost in this image - maybe because I was craving something sweet. It became a birds eye view of a map, houses, hilltops, river beds, lakes, I wanted to go there. What would I wear if I went there? (this is how my mind works) Something just as delicious of course!

I let this image which had already taken me to someplace wonderful, take me by the hand, and lead me further into my creativity.


Then this popped up in my head. I RAN to my work table and started sorting thru beads and wire. I couldn't get this finished fast enuff. I was afraid the creativity would melt away like chocolate on a hot summer day, and I would never get it finished

 It's a creamy, dreamy, chocolate cuff of stoneware and ceramic, with a touch of swarovski crystals.

Thanks for going on this trip with me. Inspiration can come from many places.  Where does yours come from?

And now for something completely different - Darn Good Cookies!

I just had to make cookies last nite, and played around with a recipe for peanut butter cookies. James LOVES peanut butter and chocolate so why not combine the two ;)

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter (softened)
1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients. Mix well. The dough will be sticky but easy to manage. Roll dough into 1" or so balls and put them in the mini muffin tins. (Makes about 48 balls if I can keep James out of the cookie dough) Bake 14 minutes at 325 degrees.






This is a Wilson - no stick - mini muffin tin - so I didn't grease it.


When you take them out of the oven - let them rest a few minutes and then go around the outside with a butter knife to loosen them



Let them cool completely



Now it is time to bust out the ganache - you can see we already drug out fingers thru it :) Had to taste it to make sure it was good!

Chocolate Ganache
2 c. whipping cream
1 - 12 oz pkg semi sweet choc. chips

Bring the whipping cream to a simmer in a heavy sauce pan. Stir a lot so it won't scorch When it is simmering add the bag of choc chips. Stir til the chips have melted and continue to stir for about 4 more minutes.

Let the ganache COMPLETELY cool. It can take several hours. I make mine the nite before and keep it in a covered container in the ice box til I need to use it.



Use two spoons - one to scoop out the ganache, and the second to push it onto the cookie.


Use about half a spoonful. I wish I had a decorating bag - these would be BEAUTIFUL if I piped on the ganache.


Here they are kids!! Yum Yum Eat em up!

Who has coffee?? I have cake!!

I am going to share one of my favorite recipes today. This is the cake of all cakes, as far as my husband is concerned. Any excuse to make one will do - B'day's, Sundays, Test Day, Down Day, Gym Day, you name it, the cake is worth it.

It is a heavy, dense, killer chocolate cake. This recipe will make a three layer cake and serve 20 - 25 ppl.

Ready!!

2 c guinness (one bottle of the guinness stout will do honestly)
2 c butter
1 1/2 c cocoa powder
4 c flour
4 cups sugar
1 T baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 c sour cream

ganache -
2 c whipping cream
1 lb. choc. chips

Grease 3 8" cake pans. Set oven to 350.

Combine dry ingredients - minus the cocoa power - set aside.

In heavy sauce pan, bring the beer and butter to a simmer, add cocoa, wisk till smooth. set aside
to cool slightly.

With mixer, beat eggs and sour cream, add in the beer/butter mixture, beat till smooth, add dry ingredients, beat till smooth.

Divide batter between the three pans and bake for 35 mins. maybe longer, just test with a toothpick or knife.

Let cool - completely - this is the key. Ii cook mine before I go to bed, and let them sit in the pans all nite. they only get better, trust me.

Ganache -
In heavy sauce pan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer - stir, stir, stir, so it won't scald - dump in the choc. chips and beat till smooth. let cool for about an hour.


use a genererous ladle of the ganache between the layers of the cake, then let the remainder drape down the sides.

GLORIOUS!!!!

This is the two layer version. I sent the third layer to work with my husband to share with everyone and get the hooked :)



Are you licking your monitor!!!!


This recipe was used as the base for the 'Hamburger Cake' pictured below. I made this for an artist cake competition held by The Nature of Art, the gallery/store that showcases the wares made by local artists.

I won!!!