Mini Poundcake Gingerbread Houses

 Despite my extremely limited baking skills, it seems as December approaches I invariably have the sudden desire to create those most complex of confections: a Gingerbread house. 

Past experiences have not gone well, resulting in collapsed roofs, piles of crumbs, an entire bottle of Elmer's glue and a quickly scribbled sign "Do Not Eat!"

In an effort to scale down my culinary expectations, I thought I'd attempt an easier mini version of a Gingerbread house with all of the spicy flavor, snowy icing, sweet details and none of the heartbreak.

You'll Need

gingerbread pound cake (bought or homemade)
white chocolate melts or almond bark
your choice of assorted candies, sprinkles and cake decorations
finely shredded coconut 

freeze gingerbread until firm
using a sharp knife cut into house-like shapes
I first cut in blocks then carved off diagonal sections for roof
brush crumbs off and return to freezer. 

Melt chocolate according to package directions, letting cool just slightly

Carefully dip roof of houses in white chocolate. Set houses on wax paper  letting some drip off like icicles. Top with sprinkles if desired or candy accents. I put some melted chocolate in a plastic baggie, snipped off the tip and piped some details like doors and windows.

 Since the houses are quite small I kept them relatively simple 
I opted for a snowy white theme but use your favorite holiday colors

Let harden completely and display on a bed of snowy coconut or powdered sugar.

You can set them on a tiered stand

or create a little town on a long tray

serve with a warm cup of tea 

Of course wasting cake is frowned upon in our household, so you can layer the leftover gingerbread scraps into an impromptu trifle with ice cream or Greek yogurt!

Gingerbread Fun Facts
    

  
The first gingerbread recipe is believed to be one from Greece from the year 2400BC!  

Henry the Vlll is thought to have eaten a ginger mixture in hopes of avoiding the plague!
  
Gingerbread houses appeared in Germany in the 16th century and were often decorated with gold leaf!
  
In 2006 the world's biggest Gingerbread house constructed in Texas required a building permit!

For these and more on the 
fascinating history of Gingerbread visit
 www.pbsfood

Wishing Everyone 
a
Sweet Holiday Season!

Quick Thanksgiving Pumpkin Makeover

While nowadays everyone eagerly shares photos of their dinners on Instagram, what was served at the very first Thanksgiving remains a bit of a mystery. Historians believe that native fish, fowl, venison, squashes and berries featured prominently on the menu. 

Of course our perennial favorite, pumpkin pie as we know it, would appear many years later, but records indicate that English settlers of the time did often make a pumpkin custard by hollowing out pumpkins, filling the shells with milk, honey and spices and roasting them in hot ashes. Today, centuries later the festive pumpkin still figures largely in our Thanksgiving celebrations in all sorts of recipes, desserts and decorating. I thought I'd pay it homage with a quick and easy pumpkin makeover to spruce up your holiday table.
   

Pumpkin Makeover 

faux pumpkin
I had Halloween pumpkins still hanging around  
and picked one which was a bit worse for wear
(or there are many in craft stores on clearance)
spray paint in desired color

clear varnish

metallic puffy paint 

ribbon and crafty accents 

glue
"Give Thanks" printable

Although turkeys are usually the star of the show, 
I opted for this image of deer for something a bit different

Printable created with lovely vintage Fall images from the thegraphicsfairy.com

How to:

Simply spray your pumpkin desired shade, 
(I used a warm metallic rose gold tone) and let dry.

print image to desired size and cut out. 

Dot edges with metallic or jewel toned puffy paint to create a quick border 

 add any bling or accents desired
 I sprayed printable printout with a spritz of triple glaze varnish leftover from another project for a nice sheen

glue onto pumpkin and top with a bow or leaf sprig

simply display with some fall touches and natural elements

I used my mismatched china, thrift store bird themed plates with a similar color palette and gold chargers (yes, those chargers from the dollar store)

I am grateful for what I am and have.
 My thanksgiving is perpetual.
                               Henry David Thoreau

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to our US readers
and 
a Happy Autumn to our friends worldwide.

French Inspired Fall Picnic

With the last of the Halloween candy stash well finished off and Christmas decor already popping up in every store it's easy to let the Fall season pass us by in a blink. And though we've long bid "au revoir" to the sunny days of summer, Autumn offers an equally delightful a venue for outdoor pursuits. Crisp fresh air and glorious foliage lure us outside without the worrisome sweltering heat, swarms of skeeters, or sunburn.

 And what better excuse to spend the day outside than a leisurely afternoon picnic. While paper plates, burgers and flip flops are the mainstay of summer picnicking, Autumn is the perfect time to embrace a slightly (dare we say) more civilized take on dining al fresco. Whether at a park or on your patio, it's easy to create a cozy yet elegant fete when you include simple gourmet inspired treats, old fashioned fun and games and a few creature comforts. 

   
Bread & Cheese Covers

Of course with food being the star of the event, finding accessories that are portable, practical and pretty can be a challenge.
 Browsing one of my favorite magazines I came across the most delightful french bread covers which sadly came with a less than delightful price tag of over four hundred dollars. Quality and beauty aside this was a purchase which wasn't going to happen. Neither, sadly was a last minute pastoral retreat in the french countryside for that matter. 

www.belleescape.com

 Not to worry, with some inexpensive baskets, printable labels and twine, I can give my outing a bit of french provincial charm and keep my cheese and baguettes pest free for pennies on the dollar.

Simply find suitable sized baskets and weave twine through top for a handle. 

 I then created labels using type and lovely images from the thegraphicsfairy.com and cut and decoupaged them on card stock.

 I then simply popped onto basket with glue.

Grandmom's Faux Boursin Cheese

While petite rounds of this savory, but pricey, french gourmet cheese make wonderful party fare, it's easy to whip up your own version with staples you probably have on hand for a fraction of the price.

This recipe was a favorite of my grandmother who always served it with traditional water crackers. But it's delightful with sliced crudités, baguettes or even as a sandwich spread with fresh veggies. 

1 package cream cheese, softened
8 oz butter, softened

1-2 teaspoons minced garlic (depending on taste)
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp chives

Mix all ingredients until blended and chill at least an hour or overnight. Add more or less of the herbs according to taste. The flavor is better if chilled longer.

Serve with baguettes spruced up with a quick wrap of parchment baking paper and a sprig of herbs.

We opted for simple fruit, bread, cheese and nuts for no fuss snacking, but for heartier fare, you could browse french cookbooks for recipes for quiches, vegetable terrines and tartes. Wine, mineral water or juices round out the menu.

Faux Boules

Though I couldn't tell you the difference between Boules, Bocci and Petanque, all describe wildly popular bowling games played throughout the world. In Europe it's commonplace to spot small groups of friends gathered, with great concentration, rolling metallic balls on patches of gravel or grass in public parks or town squares. In honor of this classic pastime I thought it would be fun to brush off my old bocci set which had been sitting idly in my garage forever and give it a quick makeover a la francais.

Bocci is a fun portable game and used sets can often be found at yard sales.

Boules uses shiny metallic balls with engraved grooves to differentiate them. I opted for an easy redo- using subtly different color metallic spray paints I had on hand. Simply perch on cups or lids, spray one side and let dry, flip over and paint the other side.

a thrift store basket (previously holding a child's tea) set makes a picnic perfect carrier

When the competition gets too fierce, books and art supplies provide relaxing ways to wile away the afternoon

"Shop" your house for accessories that add some comfort but aren't too precious to spend a day outside.

 A charming Waverly curtain swag (a clearance find at Lowe's) adds a pastoral touch.

Make sure to include some extra treats for unexpected guests. Our friend Tempest is getting a bit close to the wine.

Autumn is the hush before Winter    

                                        french proverb

for more Fall for francophiles (and the easiest apple tart) 

visit our post

 Bienvenus Automne Fall in France

Wishing 

everyone 

all the joys of Fall!

Halloween Candy Bar Makeovers

Although the sad day eventually comes when we realize we are too old for trick or treating, the love of sweet treats is something we never outgrow. 
Even if it has been decades since you traipsed door to door on October 31st, why not indulge in your favorite candy bar, all the more fun spruced up with some Halloween flare.

There are countless ideas and printables out there for fun and frightful DIY candy rewraps for kids of all ages to be found online, but I thought I'd try a few whimsical not-so-spooky images to lend your confections a more festive than frightening and, dare we say, more grown-up air.

         

These are for the luxuriously large (once in a while) bars. 

Simply click on wrapper images to enlarge and print. (You may need to adjust printout size to fit your candy selection.) 

These labels work best on regular or oversized bars. I surprisingly found these yummy bars from Germany on sale at my local Supermarket. I designed these labels using fun vintage images from the fabulous graphicsfairy.com

I wrapped the candy bars in foil to cover label completely and then after trimming new printable label to size, wrapped around bar and taped discreetly on back.

a "not so scary" well dressed witch for fashionistas

purrfect for feline fanciers

for fans of feathered friends

for literary types, give a nod to Edgar allen Poe's famous raven

  These make fun party favors, simply display with some subtly spooky seasonal accents or enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea

For more romantic occasions, pop over and see our valentine's Day DIY candy wrapper post Sweets for the sweet

Wishing Everyone 

a Purrfectly Magical

Fall Season!