Halloween Carnival

We  love Halloween!  We had a carnival this year for the kiddos.  We just got back from the beach last week, so this was a little of a rushed last minute affair.  But it was fun all the same!  Vivi is a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader this year and Boo Bear is a Dallas Cowboy.  We are die hard Cowboy fans and they are not doing so well this season.  Maybe this will help their team spirit (Twelveth Man, anyone?).

Here are the fun pics!

We made monster face cupcakes! 

This was my favorite cupcake.  He says, "Meh".



Vivi, our little Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader

Sweet Andrew and Vivi waiting for carnival fun

The Berry Fam

Mickey and Minnny! (Side note:  My friend, Teri made Minny's dress from SCRATCH with NO PATTERN!)

We did a cupcake walk. I would say it was semi-successful.

I seem to be excited by something here.

This will now be referred to as the "Beer Crab".  Chase was pretty creative!

She's always hiding.

Why so cute, girls?

All in all, it was really fun!  I learned some things that I can improve for next year's Halloween Carnival.  Planning has begun!

i totally made this!

You all know my obsession with Pioneer Woman.  I would like to say that I have loved her for a year and a half, way before the Food Network show.  I was introduced to her by one of my besties, Katie (who will be guest blogging soon - ahem).  I resisted for a few months because I thought, "Why would I want to make Pioneer Food?"  Katie persisted and finally convinced me when she regaled me with stories of the Pioneer Woman's love of butter.  I was never the same.

Anyway, I TOTALLY made her new recipe - Pork Chops with Apples and Creamy Bacon Cheese Grits. 

It was so delicious I could cry.  I don't even eat pork but it looked so delicious I thought I'd give it a shot.  It was tart from the apples but sweet from the maple syrup - a perfect combo.  Now I want to eat pork for every meal.  The best part, though is the grits.  The salty bacon flavor and the creaminess of the grits and cheese.  So creamy, so delicious.  I realize that I've said delicious three times so far in this description, but it is TRULY delicious. 

Try this recipe - NOW. 

cupcakes

I'm really impatient.  I love to bake but I find that my lack of patients often times impedes my abilities.  I've never been good at decorating, frosting, plating, or anything like that where patience is necessary.  I was always envious of my friends who could come to functions with perfect looking pastries. 

When I came across this post from Glorious Treats, I decided that I was finally going to make some perfect cupcakes if it killed me. 

I made a trip to Ace Mart, our local restaurant supply store and bought an ice cream scoop, a real pastry bag, and a jumbo open star decorating tip.

I mixed up her Vanilla Cupcake Recipe and put it into cupcake liners with an ice cream scoop to make them even. 



I somewhat succeeded in making them even.

 Then I let them cool for a few hours.  I chose her American Buttercream Frosting to frost the cupcakes because, well, it sounded delicious.  Two sticks of butter, sure, that sounds delicious!

I put the frosting in a pastry bag and folded it down.  This is the moment of truth.  Do I have what it takes to perfectly frost a cupcake?



 NOT BAD!!  I was pretty excited!  I read her techniques and followed them with the correct tools, and imagine that, it worked! 


Here's an action shot:

Now I'm just bragging - aren't they perfect?



I totally meant to put food coloring in the frosting, but I forgot.  So I bedazzled them with sanding sugar. 



AND, they were delicious.  The cake was moist and not heavy like most homemade cakes.  The frosting was to die for  - smooth and sweet. 

Ok, so truth be told, I made one mistake.  I was feeling too lazy to get the 1/2 ts out when it called for the salt for the cake and I eyeballed it with the regular teaspoon.  It was too much and they were salty.  But we still ate them.

this is winston churchtail, our hound dog

Meet Winston Churchtail, our bloodhound.  I've had dogs my whole life and I've never met a dog with a sweeter nature.  He loves to play hide and seek with Vivi - it's really cute.  She will hide and then call for him and he will use his bloodhound sniffing skills to find her.  He is her "CiCi" - that is what she calls him because she can't pronounce Winston.  He's always up for some cuddling, which I love.  Oh, and the wrinkle face.  Too much.

He is also the stinkiest dog I've ever met.  In fact, the stinkiest I've ever even heard of.  Whew!  That hound smell is something else!  He needs a bath every week to curtail it. 

But we love our Snorgles.  Here's some more of sweet Winston.



Winston is never one to turn down food.



A girl and her dog.

This is the most alert you will ever see this dog.



this week, i think i'll post fun fall projects

Yes, I'm obsessed with Everything Etsy's 101 series.  They recently put out 101 Festive Fall Tutorials.  I'm going to go through them and pick my faves and post them for you guys near the end of this week! 

enjoy some delicious food

I've been on a diet.  Let's just say that two babies in two years has not been kind and it's time. But I still enjoy the torture of looking at all of the food blogs I follow.    Enjoy this food porn.

PS. I promise to have some orignial content soon!




Someday, I'll make these... they won't be as pretty though!  Mon Cheri cookies by Bake at 350. 




I'm totally making this cake for Vivi's birthday!  I think I'm going to need to start practicing!  Pink Ombre Cake from Glorious Treats.




How to make gumdrops.  YUM.  By Bakerella



Yes, please.  Corn Cakes with Tomato Avocado Relish by Annie's Eats. 



And shut up about these wasabi cheese crackers.  From Raspberri Cupcakes.

 Enjoy! 

this is chino, our hound mix

Meet Chino, our loyal dog of twelve years.  We got him as a puppy from the pound in College Station when we were seniors at Texas A&M.  He was born in a vacant field and he had alluded dog catchers for two weeks so he was really on his last leg.  When I saw him, he still had an IV because he was so dehydrated.  His best friend was Shiner, our lab mix that died when I was pregnant with Vivi.  They were two peas in a pod.



I still miss her every day.

He is sweet and loyal and protective and just a fabulous dog.  He's old and grumpy sometimes, but we'll keep him!  Here's more Chino...

Chino with Vivi when she was a year old.

Chino as the King.

I love this dog.