The Sugar Mommas love tradition but once in awhile…we say…it’s time for a change.  February 16, 2010 is Fat Tuesday and in honor of this celebration, we have decided to make a QUEEN CAKE. This is ModernMom after all, and we thought it’s time we celebrate ourselves; the Queen of the family.  In lieu of the baby, we went for all out BLING.  So make a QUEEN Cake this year. Cut up the slices and see who gets the prize! 

You will need

1 box Mam Papaul’s Mardi Gras King Cake Mix

1 cup hot water

1 egg

1 stick butter

1 baking sheet

1-2 pieces parchment paper

* Follow the directions on the box.  Get the kids involved in kneading the dough and watching it rise.

* If the kids don’t like the praline mix, just use ½ cup of brown sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons of butter.

SASS IT UP!  Use different colors for the sprinkles or stay traditional and add bling for baby. 

DO NOT EAT THE TREASURE…whatever it is. It’s a choking hazard so stay close by when the pieces are served until your guests find the booty.  

BIG pretzels

12 oz. Chocolate (semi-sweet or milk)

12 oz. White Chocolate

Decorating Sugars and/or Decoratifs ♥

Parchment Paper

Baking Sheet

Teaspoons (1-2)

Chopsticks or small tongs

* Set a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Have all of your tools ready: spoons, chopsticks, tongs, pastry brush and sprinkles (caps off).  This will be your assembly station.  Set aside. 

* Pour 6 oz. of either chocolate in a medium size glass bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds on 30% power.  Remove carefully (bowl may be hot).  Stir chocolate. Repeat process until chocolate is melted.  (I like to work in batches so I do two batches of 6 oz. each).

* While the chocolate is hot, place a pretzel in face down. Use chopsticks or tongs to flip the pretzel over. Coat the other side. Use tongs to place chocolate covered pretzel on the parchment paper.  Use a pastry brush if necessary - dip the brush into chocolate and cover over any barren pretzel spots.  Sprinkle with your favorite Decorating Sugar or Decoratif! ♥ We like to use India Tree because their sugar crystals are big with bold colors. www.indiatree.com

* Repeat the process with the other chocolate, if desired.  It’s nice to have coordinating colors in case your recipient has a chocolate preference.  Place the baking sheet in the fridge for one hour to set.

* Eat, package, share!

: Use different size pretzels to create a nice visual effect.

The Sugar Mommas are obsessed with marshmallows. We like marshmallow anything, anytime, anywhere.  Spongy, chewy, stretchy deliciousness.  Chocolate covered marshmallows are just one step further towards glutton heaven.  This treat is simple, quick, and a crowd pleaser.  Warning:  the LOVE Pops may get eaten before Valentine’s Day. 

BIG marshmallows

12 oz. Chocolate (semi-sweet or milk)

12 oz. White Chocolate

Decorating Sugars and/or Decoratifs ♥

Parchment Paper

Baking Sheet

Teaspoons (1-2)

Popsicle Sticks, 6”

* Set a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Have all of your tools ready: spoons, Popsicle sticks, pastry brush and sprinkles (caps off).  Lay your desired amount of marshmallows on the baking sheet.  Place a Popsicle stick in the top of each marshmallow so it’s ready to be dipped.  This will be your assembly station. Set aside. 

* Place 6 oz. of either chocolate in a medium size glass bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds on 30% power.  Remove carefully (bowl may be hot).  Stir chocolate. Repeat process until chocolate is melted.  (I like to work in batches so I do two batches of 6 oz. each).

* While the chocolate is hot, quickly dip the Popsicle stick marshmallow inside to coat.  Scrape off any excess from the bottom on the side of the bowl.  Place the Marshmallow Pop on the baking sheet to cool.  Use a pastry brush if necessary - dip brush into chocolate and brush over any barren marshmallow spots.  Sprinkle with your favorite Decorating Sugar or Decoratif!  ♥ We like to use India Tree because their sugar crystals are big with bold colors. www.indiatree.com (see above)

* Repeat the process with the other chocolate, if desired.  It’s nice to have coordinating colors in case your recipient has a chocolate preference.  Place the baking sheet in the fridge for one hour to set.

* Eat, package, share!

NOTE: We like to make our own marshmallows, BUT, if you’re in a carpool crunch, we suggest popping on over to Whole Foods or some other specialty grocer where you can get hand crafted marshmallows. The big square marshmallows look homemade. Make sure to dust off any excess cornstarch by tapping the marshmallow on the parchment paper a few times.  Jet Puffed Marshmallows won’t have this issue.

SASS IT UP: Use flavored marshmallows like strawberry!

Sugar Mommas’ Vday Cookies

The BASIC Sugar Cookie recipe is great year round for every occasion. You can use it to make cut-out cookies (with cookie cutters), dye the dough any color to suite your occasion, make a cookie log to freeze for later or give as a gift, or just sprinkle some sugar on top, bake and eat.  This dough is very versatile so get your big THREE (butte, sugar, flour) and let’s get going.  

Items to have handy: 

Baking Sheets
Cutting Board/AreaExtra Flour to dust Cutting Board
Parchment Paper
Clear Plastic Wrap
Rolling Pin
Colored Sugars and/or Sprinkles
Food Coloring (optional) 

Ingredients
¾         c. unsalted butter, (room temperature)
1          c. granulated sugar
2          eggs, large
1          tsp. vanilla (or ½ tsp. almond extract)
2 ½      c. flour
1          tsp. baking powder
1          tsp. salt

Directions 

*          Combine flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside. 

*          Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs and vanilla.  Mix again until all the ingredients are combined.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, one cup at a time.  Blend until the flour is incorporated.  Scrape down sides of bowl.  Repeat until all the flour is incorporated.  + Remove dough and roll into a ball. (☺) Flatten like a disk. Wrap with clear plastic wrap and chill dough at least one hour or overnight.    

*          Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Lightly flour a cutting board or work surface.  Roll out dough 1/8” thick.  Dip 3” cookie round cutter (or desired shape) into the flour.  Cut dough.  Using a spatula, transfer shapes to an un-greased or parchment-paper lined baking sheet.  Make sure to place cookies 1” a part.  Repeat until all of the dough is used. ¤ Bake 8-10 minutes until the edges begin to turn golden.  Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Decorate.  +

SASS IT UP:  Food Coloring:  Once dough is formed, add food coloring one to two drops at a time.  On low speed, blend color thoroughly into cookie mixture.  Continue to add coloring drop by drop until desired color is reached.  Proceed as instructed above.

SLICE & BAKE  *  GIFT GIVING

  

 

(☺) Slice and Bake – Perfect for Gift Giving!

Homemade dough is a perfect for anyone/any occasion including teachers, friends, family, birthdays, holidays, Hostess gifts, play dates.

Once the dough is in the form of a ball cut it in half.  Wrap one half in plastic wrap and return to refrigerator until you are ready to use it.  Begin to roll the other half of the dough out like a Play dough worm (two hands in the center rolling back and forth gently pushing out towards the edges.   When the dough looks like a log, cover it with a piece of parchment paper slightly dusted with flour.  If you have it available, use a bamboo sushi mat on top of the parchment paper.  Use your hands to shape the log gently pushing from the center outwards.  Roll your hands back and forth a few times until the desired shape is formed.  The roll should be approximately 6” long.  Wrap the log in clear plastic wrap making sure to cover the ends.  Then place a piece of parchment paper on top of a piece of decorative tissue paper.  (The design side of the tissue paper should be facing down on the work surface.) Place the log on the parchment paper in the tissue paper.  Start at one end and roll of log away from you in the papers until it looks like a big Tootsie Roll.  Use a decorative ribbon to tie the overhang on the ends. Place the dough inside a Ziploc and freeze until you are ready to give as a gift.  To transport the cookies, place the Ziploc in a freezer bag with a cold pack until you reach a destination with a freezer. 

*          Decorate a small index card with the baking instructions.
*          Attach a cookie cuter for a special added touch.
*          Give the dough with fancy sugar crystals from a gourmet food store.

¤ Sugar Crystals

Whether you slice and cookie log and bake or use cookie cutters, one beautiful cookie presentation is to add the colored sugars BEFORE you bake the cookies.  Just choose your favorite color(s) of sugar.  Sprinkle the sugar onto the raw cookie dough.  Gently press the sugar into the cookie. (Wash you hands in-between different colors).  Bake.  The cookies come out looking like jewels fit for a prince or princess.

 
NOTE: Once cookies are baked, they can be stored in an airtight container, between layers of parchment or wax paper for up to one week.    

 

3 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. milk
2 ½ c. confectioners' sugar
1 oz. square unsweetened chocolate,* melted
½ tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt

Prepare Yourself

Stock up on Everyday Items

Now that you are prepped, stroll on over to the baking aisle (usually #8) and start by looking for every day items such as sugar, flour, evaporated milk, chocolate chips, etc. This time of year, these staples tend to come in Bulk, Extra Large, Jumbo, or Value sizes.  Many such items have a temporary price cut marked by the ROLL-BACK label. Make sure you grab the double size frostings and the double size jars of marshmallow cream (fluff).  You don’t know when you’ll spot those again.  Wal-Mart also carries a very large selection of items you can’t get in your every day market such as mini morsels, chocolate chunks, Heath Bar bits, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, different kinds of coconut flakes, and various flavors of ready made pie crusts. 

   

After your cart is loaded with the basics, focus your eyes on the holiday products such as Graham Cracker Crumbs, Andes Mints bits, seasonal sugar lay-ons, sprinkles, sugars, icings, candy cups, ginger snap mixes, and decorative wax paper for food packaging.  The quest for seasonal packaging items may lead you to the craft and scrap booking section of the store. Don’t worry. Stroll on over there (NOT YET), before you go to check out. I found many seasonal Wilton products for baking on the end displays in and around the craft area.    

  

Investigate all new or undiscovered products

Finally, the most exciting reason to visit Wal-Mart this time of year…new products!

Fudge frosting in an aerosol can like Reddi Whip?  Why didn’t I think of that brilliant idea?  Bakers “Heat & Dip” Chocolate in a Styrofoam cup? You just microwave 30 seconds to melt milk chocolate. This is perfect for making chocolate drizzles to decorate cakes and cookies. It’s also perfect for dipping marshmallows, pretzel sticks, graham crackers, apples, etc. This makes the double boiler obsolete for melting chocolate!  I discovered a Tres Leches (Three Milk) box mix from Duncan Hines. I also found a TUB of Toll House prepared cookie mix (in the refrigerator section) that came in various flavors such as sugar, chocolate chip and peanut butter. I checked the expiration date and as far as I can tell, the tubs were good for at least two months. That would get you through the holidays.  Grab a tub of sugar cookie mix, scoop and go!  That qualifies as a Carpool Crunch-Baking Season Survival Tip! It’s also an insta-playdate activity.

_______________

Holiday Baking Recipe Web Sites

Below are two web sites that have every recipe you could ever want for your cookie exchange or holiday gathering!  They also have holiday activities and games for kids to pass the time while the cookies are in the oven.

NorthPole.com