Kahlyn's 9th Birthday: Make-Up Case

My niece this year wanted me to make her a make-up case cake.    It is  a 6 layer, strawberry filled cake.  I used sugar sheet (a new technique) for the zebra layers and created the make-up out of gum paste (also a new technique I had to learn).  

Spider-Man Cake

My eldest niece is really into Spider-Man so this year I made her a Spider-Man cake for her 12th birthday.

Camel's Hump Mountain Sunrise

My daily drive to work, a beautiful sunrise over Camel's Hump Mountain.

Fall Hike up Stowe Pinnacle

Beautiful fall hike up Stowe Pinnacle.  Looking out over Mount Mansfield. 

First Wine Racking

This is my first batch of red wine, a Pinot Noir.  So far it seems like it will be good.  Now I just need to wait....

Chocolate Kahula Cheesecake

I made this chocolate Kahula cheesecake for my two of my friends' birthday.

Oh What a Hot Day!

Another hot day in VT!  Meeko my cat, thinks sitting by the screen door on the porch gives him a breeze...

Finally Caught the Garden Culprit

I finally caught (humanely) this little guy, after he nearly took out most of my garden.  Lost so many veggies, he certainly ate well for a while.  I released him a couple miles away in the woods.

Great Eggplant Crop

So far this summer has been great for producing eggplant, this year I only did Japanese and Chinese eggplants.

Lake Champlain Sunset

Sunset over Lake Champlain.

Garlic Crop

My organic garlic hanging to dry.

Mother's Day Fruit Tart

Mustache Cake

I made a mustache cake for a mustache/Cindo de Mayo birthday party!

Springtime

You can still see the snow on the mountains, but everything is starting to turn green.

Easter Lamb Cake 2012

Easter lamb cake 2012 (lemon this year), the only time I use a mold for a cake.

Hermit Crab Cake

I made this cake for my youngest niece, she got hermit crabs for her birthday and wanted a hermit crab cake.

Snake Cake

I made this snake cake for my niece's 11th birthday, it resembles her pet snake. 

Lake Champlain Sunset

Summertime Cooking

Strawberry-Blackberry-Blueberry Trifle (friend's birthday) 

Chocolate Kahula Cheesecake (friend's birthday)

Carrot Cake, Strawberry-Raspberry Pie,
Peanut Butter Pie (family reunion, dad's birthday)

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Easter Lamb Cake

Then came the heavy snow...

 

As Jada and I made our way to the backyard to shovel off the porch, we found the snow was very heavy and hard to walk through.  Unlike the last time when it was light an fluffy, this time it was like walking through cement.

Got to Love the Snow

My dog making her way through the delightfully light- but deep snow, as we make our way to the backyard.

Ice Stalagmites

A funny find in my ice tray.

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna

Feeling in the mood for a little Ahi, this is what I created.

Marinated 2 filets of Ahi tuna for at least 30 minutes w/
 1/4 tamari
 1/4 Braggs Liquid Amnions
 3 crushed cloves garlic
 2 TBS raw honey
 1 squeezed lime
 handful of chopped cilantro
 1/2 TSP sesame oil
 1/4 TSP chili sesame oil
 1 TSP grated ginger
     Once ready to cook, I placed 4 TBS sesame seeds & 5 grates of black pepper into a plate and coated the strained marinated tuna.  This was then seared on each side for about 3 minutes to keep the middle sashimied (raw).

Side: Steamed broccoli (Meyers squeezed over replacing the water) w/pepper
          Couscous made in sauteed garlic/extra virgin olive oil w/diced tomatoes
     

Pikachu

For my eldest niece's family birthday party (10 years), she said I could create anything.  I decided to go with Pikachu, as she has over 400 of the trading cards and most are the Japanese ones.  This was my first time using marshmallow treats for the parts that needed to be even more 3 dimensional.  For the smile I received, I have to say it was successful!

Cilantro Parsley Pesto over Artichoke Pasta w/(side) of sauteed Kale and Tomatoes

Using up the last of my garden kale that actually lasted through a Vermont winter (hoping this isn't a sign of "climate change") and a bunch of cilantro and parsley that never made it to the Thanksgiving table, my latest dinner creation will sure to satisfy my need for greens.  While I don't eat the turkey, this traditional dinner always seems to make me earn for brightly colored greens, about three days later.  Perhasp it's due to the large consumption of  carotenoids and carbohydrates I've ingested lately that makes me yearn for leafy plant material.

Cilantro Parsley Pesto
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley
3 cloves garlic
1/4c Extra V. Olive O.
1/4c pine-nuts
1/2c Parmesan cheese
pinch sea salt
over
Jerusalem Artichoke Flour Pasta

Sauteed Kale & Tomato 
4 cloves chopped garlic
3TBS Extra V. Olive O.
1tsp crushed red pepper flakes
28oz whole peeled tomatoes (-juice)
6c hand torn kale

Recommend to combine all finished pieces together.

Brain Cake

My niece had a Halloween themed 10th birthday party and wanted a brain cake.  I tried to make it not too gross, I didn't want to scare all the other 10 year olds.

Fall in the Green Moutains

A fall hike up Hunger Mountain- what a beautiful day for colors and clarity.

Watch What You Eat!

Camp Samparas, Maine: vodka soaked local blueberries & strawberries

Am I lucky if there are 6 leaves?

My sister-in-laws birthday cake

RC Truck Cake

My very picky brother is hard to please when it comes to cakes, so this year I decided to create one after his RC trucks.  Thankfully he was impressed.

Panama: Bocas Del Toro

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Panama February 2010

Found this wonderful Austrian couple who sailed across the ocean landed in Bocas, Panama and built their own wood-fired pizzeria.  

Pizza Oven

Hot Peppers

Ariel Cake

My youngest niece's 6th birthday- Ariel Cake.  Not only did she love the cake, but she was happy she also got the Ariel figure on top.

Gingerbread House 2009- Created by Me & My Two Nieces

Albino Corn Snake Cake

For my niece's (left) 7th birthday she wanted an albino corn snake cake, just like her real one Snow.  This was my first attempt at using fondant.  I have to admit I'm afraid of snakes!