White Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes

If you know me personally you know I have taken into the art of the gourmet cupcakes.  An area of the kitchen (baking), I really don't fancy as a favorite (I hate the mess and tons of dishes).  So the picture isn't the greatest, but if you could taste them you would never mind.  My littliest loves anything orange, and well- white chocolate just seemed like a great pairing to the fresh orange flavor of these birthday cupcakes we served for his 2nd birthday.  A far cry from the a-typical store-bought-artificial-flavor I don't really like and I am tiring of paying for the conveinence, this is why I started to "create" something just a little more special for such a momentous occasion.  Enjoy! 

These are so easy try them!

1 bag of orange slice gum-drop type candy
1 white cake mix + ingredients to prepare
1 box of instant white chocolate pudding
2 oranges, zested
Orange Extract
Recipe for Classic Butter Cream
Quality White Chocolate Candy Bar (I like Lindt)
Clear Decorator Sugar

Prepare the white cake mix as directed and add pudding mix, zest of one orange, and 1 teaspoon of orange extract (or more for stronger taste) - (taste the batter :) ).  Place batter in cupcake liners about half to two thirds full (this makes a nice flat topped cupcake for frosting).  Bake as directed.  Remove cupcakes onto a  rack until completely cool.  Meanwhile, prepare Classic Butter Cream recipe and add zest of one orange, and additional orange extract to your taste.  It's okay to taste as you go, especially with the butter cream - this is what will make or break a great frosting.  Place frosting in a decorator bag with a tip or in a large zip bag and clip corner.  Frost a swirl on the top of each cupcake.  Take a vegetable peeler and "peel" the side of the chocolate bar to get swirls of chocolate.  Add to top of cupcake along with a little decorator sugar-top with an orange slice.  And there you have one terrific-well-loved cupcake.  Perfect for a spring or summer events.  Great with lemon or lime as well!  With all the great little bulk candy areas at Super Target or the mall you can be sure to find something fun to top the cupcake off with-

ENJOY!!

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Easy Re-Purpose Candle Craft

You know those tall religious candles you see everywhere these days...well - here's what I came up with for some great Christmas gifts or any holiday.  I purchased three candles several weeks back and they stared at me for sometime on my office shelf. How do you like them, easy-too!  There is something about the tall candle that's different from regular jar candles that can be decorated.  Enjoy!

Craft Recipe:

First I Mod-Podged, a 4X6 photo mat STACK scrapbook paper.  I used the Homemade Christmas variety to the candle jar.  I picked up some nostalgia mini Christmas cards at HomeGoods and cut the front of the cards and stuck to mat with glue dots, and then wrapped in floss, buttons, beads, bows, and added a few pearls.  I thought they turned out cute.  I plan on making more, what a great gift, and they can be made with any hodge podge of materials added to the outside.  The candles can be bought plain at Wal-Mart for around a dollar, the rest of the supplies can be found in your craft drawer, the cost - super inexpensive, especially if you had all the supplies on hand except the candles....(by the way...check the 11/30/2010 post-there's a giveaway that can help you make this craft!)

Menu Plan Monday

linked up to hundreds of menus & recipes at orgjunkie.com

This week I am eating out of my pantry/icebox in reference to my previous post on curbing down a bit.  I found some great deals I got a few weeks back hiding in the bottom of the icebox, as well as some hidden favorites in the back of the panty.  Me, being a foodie, I am trying to come up with creative ideas to use what we have and my grocery trip will only be for necessities.  Here is goes....

This week we are having:

• Turkey Tacos (shhh-don't tell hubs-he's not a fan of ground turkey)/field green salad/fresh fruit
• Grilled Steak Burgers (thanks mom for the Ohmaha Steaks Gift Card)/deviled eggs/oven fries
• Omelettes with chicken apple sausage/fresh fruit
• Grilled Chicken Skewers with Sausage & Pancetta this is a great recipe we have repeated it so many times./Fresh Cut Fruit/Green Beans
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches (I love this concept, done in minutes, and is delicious- and I am controlling the meat, etc.)/fresh cut fruit/chips
• Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (craft show soup mix)/BEST Cornbread/Field Green Salad

What's on your menu?  Can you try to save some $$ and utilize what's in your icebox/pantry.  My shopping list is minimal this week, a big change....

Things You Find While Surfing the Blog Highway

Well, as I was getting ready to write my menu for next week, and link up some delicious fall recipes, I came across a blog post from a local south Floridian: Severely Restricted Spending during the month of November.  It is now the 10th of the month.  It has been a tight month due to Hubs injury a few months back since he is in sports as a career, that puts a DAMPER on things-it actually has taken us down a notch which we don't live in any way extravagant, but definitely can be a little more simple.  So-it has been a learning process.  So, this idea of being more conscience is on my list from now until...

So from the freezer to the pantry to the craft closet(s), to the entire purge to clean-out (AGAIN), we are starting TODAY!  No better time than TODAY!  Why wait until Monday....or next month....or...excuse after excuse...I will update as we go along, but consider this one of those posts that my intentions are changing for the moment to reflect on this November cut-back. 

My first attack this week has been my master bedroom.  That means-I am currently going through the closet/every drawer/shoe rack, as well as fixing things in that space I haven't got around to or some other reason...I have done well and I am only on day 2 in there.

On the back burner this summer, I decided I was going to use the THOUSANDS of dollars of craft supply that eat away at my space in my office, I mean my ENTIRE house to incorporate a more meaningful Christmas this year.  I always make a lot of gifts, but this year, I was going to utilize a lot of what I have and really put a push on the "Handmade Christmas" (more to come...).  I know I LOVE LOVE LOVE handmade gifts, than the typical box store pre-wrapped gift, so I wanted to do more this year than I have in the past to bless others where I feel I have a little talent :).

So, here I go.....any thoughts, want to join in? Comment and let me know - accountability helps!

I linked today's post to Work for Me Wednesday's @ We Are That Family