Pot-o-Gold Cake Pops

First off I want to dedicate this posting to one of my favorite bloggers out there- Angie Dudley of Bakerella– an amazing writer, baker and a huge source of inspiration. She’s having some health complications and  can definitely use some Irish luck right now- so this one’s for her.

After my failed attempt to find a good pot-o-gold treat for my St. Patty’s Day posting, I thought I’d take matters into my own hands and make some pot-o-gold cake pops. To make- you’ll need everything from the basic recipe, plus white candy melts, black oil-based food coloring (water-based will turn the candy melts into paste,) and gold dragées.

The key is to shape the balls into little pots before chilling. I just flattened one end by forming a little divot on one end and pulling outwards. I then indented along the edge to make it look like the lip of the pot.

The trick to adding the gold was to dip the pops, then wait just a few seconds for the melts to become tacky before adding the dragées with a tiny spoon- otherwise they sunk into the melts. A little bit went a long way.

Voila!

… but something still isn’t right. Is it me or do those cake pops look suspiciously… I don’t know…. not black? On one hand I am a little annoyed that the black dye I bought turned out to actually be mislabeled purple dye. I figured this out after dumping half the bottle into my candy melts- therefore ruining the cake pops because dye tastes pretty heinous.

On the other hand the Washington Huskies, which happens to be my alma mater, won the PAC-10 championship in basketball the next day. Their colors are purple and gold. Coincidence? I think not. Maybe these cake pops are good luck!

Memorial Day Glamping (Glam+Camping)

This year will be year two of the annual Memorial Day weekend camping trip with my two best friends from high school Myra and Mandy.

Last year was my first time ever camping without my dad running the show so obviously being the resident chef I demanded to make all of the food and was pleased to find out if you bring a frying pan you can pretty much make anything you want.

I am obsessed with the UK phenomenon of Glamping (which is glam camping)- so this year we’re going to do the Memorial Day camping trip a little differently.

Cute decor. Candles everywhere. Couture clothes and heels. Fondue and red wine night. Gourmet meals. Mani-pedis by the fire. I just can’t wait for an even better weekend with my girlfriends than last year if that’s even possible. The best part of all this is I was mentioning it to another friend and she said “um… can you go glamping again this summer and can I come?!?”

I will definitely be posting photos but until then- fellow glampers-here are some links to help guide you to your first glamping excursion and maybe help you prep for the big trip:

Glamping Girl’s Ultimate Glamping Checklist

Wine glasses that travel great and can withstand any weather. Set of 2 stainless steel wine goblets– $24.00

Just say NO to beans and wieners! Seriously- some of us want to avoid sitting in the outhouse all night.  You can pretty much cook anything you would cook on a normal stove over the fireplace with a sturdy skillet but if you’re looking for some inspiration here’s Robin Donovan’s Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors– $10.85Or just bring the kitchen to you! Camp Chef Camping Outdoor Oven– $183

Sleep away in style and be way ahead of the trend. Shoot you can’t even find this booty in the states. Ric Rac Striped Teepee from UK designer Cath Kidston- £65.00

Juicy’s jumping on the bandwagon so it must be cool. Juicy Couture Sleeping Bag + Pillow Set – $178

For the weekend I plan to sew us a super-cute canopy  to hang over our picnic table with fresh linens and grosgrain ribbon, utilize my parents’ toastite maker, in addition to plushy pillows and candelabras. Can’t wait to post the pictures!

Cooking 101: Poached Eggs

Before I made my Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict last week I had never poached an egg. So during the long car ride to the beach I conducted research on my phone from many sources on the best way to poach an egg (yes I am that big of a nerd.) Below is a super dumbed-down set of instructions for you poaching newbies.

1. Fill a wide, shallow frying pan with just enough water to hold an egg (about 3 inches)
2. Bring the water to a boil
3. crack an egg into a mug or ramekin (don’t break the yolk!)
4. lower the heat of the pan until the water stops boiling
5. dip the edge of the mug/ramekin slowly into the water and let the egg flow out into the under-boiling water
6. the whites will look like feathery strands. With a slotted spoon- nudge the whites towards the yolk to keep the egg together, you will lose some of the whites but most will stay with the yolk.
7. cook the egg for 3-5 minutes depending how firm you want the egg
8. remove from the water with a slotted spoon and pat dry
9. serve immediately