Continuing on with the honey motif...

{Earlier this week, we talked honey and beekeeping.  Today, we're talking a honey giveaway and Adventure Getaways with Georgia Pellegrini.  Man, we're getting outdoorsy around here!}

You guys may have met my friend Georgia before.  Georgia is a chef, blogger, hunter, and author of Girl Hunter.  I was lucky enough to attend her very first "Girl Hunter Weekend." (How many bloggers do you recognize up there?!?)

Georgia now hosts Adventure Getaways...for a girls' getaway, couple's retreat, bachelorette parties, and more!

Fly fishing, clay shooting, s'mores by the campfire....they are weekends like no other.  Whether you're looking for rugged or refined, Georgia has a weekend for you!

{I want to go on another one just for the bathtubs.}

If you're like me and are more of an "indoorsy" (as opposed to "outdoorsy") type, I can promise you that you'll have a ton of fun and it will be a getaway you'll never forget!

Here's where the honey comes in...Georgia's family keeps bees on their property, Tulipwood, in New York State and she's sharing some of their honey with us!!! 

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me who you would love to take on an Adventure Getaway.  For an extra entry, leave another comment telling me any of the bloggers you recognize from the hayride picture. :)

{PLEASE, be sure that your profile links to an email address or that you put one in your comment. Feel free to leave it in this form: cutiepie {at} gmail {dot} com if you don't feel comfortable typing it out.}

Entries accepted through 11:59pm CST, August 31st. Good luck!

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5-Seed Applesauce and Honey Bread...and one honey of a summer day!

If your idea of a good summer day is 95+ degrees, wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, hat, boots, gloves, and a BEE KEEPING SUIT, well, you are in for a treat.

Kiddo and I were lucky enough to take a beekeeping class this summer.  There's nothing more fun to a teenage boy than spending an afternoon with his mom while wearing a ridiculous suit.  Promise.

Actually, we BOTH ended up loving the class.  We learned so much about these amazing little creatures...and came away with a whole new appreciation for them.

Here are their hives.  They're filled with frames which the bees use to make and store honey...and make new bees!

And I just love this little guy:

I'm pretty sure that he's saying, "Hi, Honey...I'm home!"  *ba-dum-chhhhh*

Maybe you're like us and don't intend to start beekeeping right now, or maybe you're like my friends Amy and Robyn and are ready to have your own hives.  Either way, take a class if you get a chance.  It's a lot of fun, BEElieve me. ;)

The bread.  I'm a bread girl.  As in, if I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be bread.  This is the perfect bread for breakfast.  It's chock-full of seeds (flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame & poppy seeds), studded with chunky almonds, baked with whole wheat flour, and sweetened with applesauce and, you guessed it, honey.

Not too sweet, not too heavy...this bread tastes "healthy" to me...in a good way.  And, healthy in a way that might involve cream cheese frosting.

There are a few options for enjoying it.

1. Slice, toast, and spread with butter.  This is actually my favorite way.  Buttered toast is my ultimate comfort food.
2. Slather that baby with some honey cream cheese frosting.
3. Toast the bread and use the cream cheese frosting as a schmear, like a bagel. 

I love, love, love that this recipe makes two loaves.  Enjoy one now, wrap the other, and pop it in the freezer.  When I have breakfasts pre-made and stocked in the freezer, I feel like I'm QUEEN of the WORLD!!!  How about you?!?

 
5-Seed Applesauce & Honey Bread
{makes 2 loaves}

for the bread:
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 TBSP flax seeds
1 TBSP sesame seeds
1 TBSP poppy seeds
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, roughly chopped
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk

for the honey cream cheese frosting/schmear (optional):
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 & 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease two 8" loaf pans; set aside.

Roughly chop the sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds. (You can also use a coffee grinder to pulse the flax to crack the seeds.)  Place in a large bowl.

Add the chopped almonds, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves.  Stir together and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the oil and applesauce together until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, whisking each well.  Whisk in the honey and vanilla.  Finally, whisk in the buttermilk.

{I typically use local Texas honey, but I used this organic honey from Wholesome Sweeteners for this recipe.  It was rich and flavorful...and just perfect for this bread. Not an ad, just good stuff.}

Stir the dry mixture into the wet, stirring just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.  Divide evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.


For the honey cream cheese frosting:
Beat the cream cheese and butter until completely combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add in the honey and vanilla.  Beat together, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.  Gradually add in the powdered sugar.  Chill.

Spread onto the top of the bread, or place in a bowl to be used as a topping for toasted bread.

You know you want one of these outfits...

If you are in the Houston area, you can find beekeeping classes here.
Across the US, check this link for classes in your area.

***Kiddo & I attended a class for free, but I was not compensated for this post.  I just thought you all might enjoy the idea of attending one, too.***

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Everything's Coming Up Rosie

These cookies have been almost 5 months in the making.  OK...not in the *actual* making, but in the mental making.  You see, my sister had a little girl in April (this is her 4th baby...the first 3, boys).
Her name is Rosie. ♥ 

Thinking about cookies for Rosie, I knew I wanted to do roses (was that obvious?), so months ago, I bought some silicone rose molds by Martha Stewart.  Ah, Martha.

{Now, these are made for clay, but I used them with fondant.  Silicone is used for all kinds of cooking applications...and I can't find anything about specific "food-grade" silicone, but found this, "as a low-taint, non-toxic material, silicone can be used where contact with food is required."  And, the fondant is touching the silicone for about 2 seconds.  In other words, I think it's ok.}

Alright, disclaimer over.

Ever since Rosie was born, my sister Molly and I have been debating the big issues.  Like, do we think pink roses are prettier on a blue or yellow background?  I still don't know.  

Originally, I thought the background for the cookies would be gingham, but (a.) painting diagonals is not one of my gifts, and (b.) they ended up looking more like lattice...which I liked.  They remind me of vintage lattice work.  I should just say I planned it that way. ;)

To make these Rosie cookies, you'll need:

• sugar cookies (I used this cutter from Copper Gifts.)
  
• royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor  Egg Yellow, Deep Pink, Electric Blue
  
• disposable icing bags
• couplers and #2 tips
• squeeze bottles
• toothpicks
• Americolor food coloring: Lemon Yellow, Deep Pink, Electric Blue 
• paintbrushes, one flat
• Martha Stewart Rose and Leaf silicone molds
• fondant (I like Satin Ice), tinted with Americolor Deep Pink and Leaf Green
• cornstarch
• x-acto or paring knife

Use a #2 tip to outline the cookies in yellow, pink, and blue

Thin the icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup.  (Reserve some of the white icing for piping details later.) You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin.  Count of 2-3 is good.  Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed.  Pour into squeeze bottles.

Fill in the outlines with the thinned icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Let the cookies dry, uncovered, 6-8 hours or overnight.

While the cookies are drying, make the roses. 

Dust the insides of the molds with cornstarch.

Press the tinted fondant into the mold (it helps to dust your hands with cornstarch, too).  Roll over the back of the mold with a small rolling pin.  I used the handle of a pastry cutter.

Flip the mold over and gently pry it off of the fondant.

Use a paring knife (I eventually started using an X-acto knife) to cut away the excess.

Make some leaves, too.

{I couldn't stop staring at them.}

The next day, add the lattice or gingham to the dried icing. (If you want to see REAL gingham on cookies, check out Glorious Treats.)

Mix equal parts food coloring and water.  Dip a flat paintbrush into the mixture, then blot off the excess.  I used a different yellow for the painting than I did for the icing.  The egg yellow as a paint was reading too "school bus."  I switched it up for Lemon Yellow.  (You can see the difference on those napkins in the picture.)

Paint on diagonal lines (hopefully better than I did).

Use a small paintbrush and paint along the edges of the fondant roses with the pink "paint" to add some dimension.

Use royal icing to attach the roses and leaves to the cookies.

I know, it seems like a lot of steps, but honestly, they're pretty easy.  As a matter of fact, I want to stick those roses onto every cookie I make from this point forward.

Rosie....we're so happy you are here!!!  

Thanks for bringing roses, hair bows, ruffles, tutus, and PINK into our lives! ♥

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Triple Play Back-to-School Mini Muffins

School starts for kiddo next week.  HIGH SCHOOL, but I will cry on your shoulder(s) about that in a different post.

This year?  His carpool is meeting at 6:50am.  SIX...I don't care that it's 10 minutes until 7:00am...it's still in the sixes.

Anyway, my mind naturally went to breakfast.  (Does your mind work that way, too?)  What will I make for breakfast that will allow *me* to sleep as late as possible, but also get him out of the door on time?

The answer...these Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Mini Muffins.  I'm calling them "Triple Play" muffins because they'll be just the ticket for breakfast, tucked into a lunchbox, or for an after-school snack.

They start with cooked oatmeal.  To that, you add all kinds of good stuff like peanut butter, brown sugar, and melted butter.

(Mental note: this is how all oatmeal should be served all the time.)
(Mental note #2: someone needs to dust off those plastic cherries.)

And, by my rough calculations, they come to approximately 62 calories a piece...so, feel free to eat several at one sitting.

I'm sharing the recipe over at Imperial Sugar.
I hope you love these little guys as much as we do!

Frostings!!! (plus a recipe you'll want topping your next cupcake)

I'm a frosting girl through and through.  To me, cake is merely a vehicle.

That's why I was so darn excited to receive Courtney Dial Whitmore's latest book, Frostings!  Well, I was also excited because Courtney is pretty much as sweet as the frostings in her book.  Cute as a button and filled with joy, Courtney shares her recipes, entertaining and party tips on her blog, Pizzazzerie.

Frostings is a beautiful hardcover book, filled with, you guessed it, recipes for frostings!  Not just frosting, but glazes and  ganaches, too.  The pictures are gorgeous...showcasing inspiring frosting techniques and ideas.  I already know I will refer to it again and again in my kitchen.

Let's take a peek inside the book, shall we?

OK...these end paper just killed me!  Cutest end papers in a book EVER.  Am I right?

Now, let's dive in.  This picture is the one I dream about:

{oh my gosh.}

And this!!!

And *how cute* and delicious does this Toffee Sundae Cupcake look?!?

Courtney is graciously letting me share the recipe with you here!  Yay!

TOFFEE SUNDAE FROSTING 

{with permission from Frostings}

1 cup unsalted butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk

1⁄3 cup caramel sauce

1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt

Chocolate Sundae Topping

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1⁄4 cup unsalted butter

1⁄4 cup vegetable oil

Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (1–2 minutes). Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Add in heavy cream or milk, caramel sauce, and salt. Beat for 2–3 minutes. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken frosting or more cream/milk to loosen. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate, butter, and oil until smooth. Remove from heat and drizzle over toffee frosting.

Yields 4-1/2 cups

Garnish it: Heath toffee bits, chocolate topping, cherry on top

Also!  Would one of you like to win a copy?  Here's what you do...leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite frosting flavor.

Entries accepted through 11:59pm CST, August 18th. 

Find Courtney here: blog, twitter, facebook, pinterest

Buy the book!  (Did that sounds bossy?) ;) I think you'll love it!

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