Scooby Doo Birthday

Another super fun birthday bash for my boy Kamden! He turned 6 and loves some Scooby Doo!! His Mom came up with an adorable scavenger hunt to “find the cake” and all the kids loved it! They also wrapped each other up like Mummy's!
xoxo, Mama Bird

Mario Bros Cake

How stinking cute is this Mario Bros cake?! I just love the clouds, the red mushroom and most of all MARIO, who I made out of fondant! This was a super fun cake to make!!

Happy 6th Birthday Charlie!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Garden Fairy Birthday

 

I recently had the pleasure of doing a Garden Fairy Princess Party at the Catawba Science Center. This was a great challenge to incorporate a “princess” with an insect party!! I think the results were amazing and probably my favorite cake to date!!

And the cupcakes are just too cute for words!!

LOVE

xoxo, Mama Bird

Merry Christmas!!

I have been meaning to share with you all our Christmas card. I have found that as my baking/catering business grows my blogging is suffering. How sad. How do you balance it all?

I must give a shout out to Heather Machut Photography for taking the most amazing pictures I have ever had done! I almost cried. And mjcorder for the fantab card design.

I just LOVED how it turned out!! Thanks so much to the super talented women who made it possible!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Christmas Eve Dinner

This recipe for Shrimp & Grits is so yummy that I only make it 2 times a year, I fear if I made it any more than that it would lose some of its special"ness". So, every year since Hubs and I have been together I make this on Christmas Eve and I make it at the beach. I make Louis Osteen's BBQ Shrimp from his award winning cookbook. I did adapt the recipe a little and I serve it over Margret's Cheese Grits, a Southern Living classic recipe.


Louis' BBQ Shrimp

1-2 lbs of fresh shrimp
6 Tb butter
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c ketchup
8 Tb guava jelly (if you can find guava paste use 1/2 the amount, I have never found it! GOYA makes Guava jelly and I have found it at Harris Teeter)
4 oz beer
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb pepper (more or less based on your taste, he uses WAY more!)

Mix all ingredients except the shrimp in a sauce pan over med heat, whisking until butter is melted and everything starts coming together. Continue to simmer for apx 10 mins or until thickened. Set aside.

Cook the shrimp in a small amount of sauce and slowly add more sauce once the shrimp are pink.

For the holidays I serve this over grits, however it makes an awesome addition to a food buffet. My girlfriends had a big baby shower and {B} was in charge of the food and she served the shrimp in a big bowl with buttermilk biscuits. It was the hit of the party!


Margret's Creamy Grits

2 c half & half
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
Bring above ing to a slow boil and slowly add grits.
1/2 c quick cook grits
Return to boil and allow to thicken 5-7 mins then add:
2 oz cream cheese
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese (Gouda Cheese is awesome too!)
1/4 tsp hot sauce

SERVE IMMEDIATELY!!

{Christmas} French Toast

This is a favorite in my family and is perfect for a busy Christmas morning. You can make it while the elves are putting together all the toys!!

Start with 1 stick of butter in a 9x13 pyrex dish. Melt and add 1 cup of brown sugar. Arrange 3 layers of bread (go with something a little dence, such as Pepperidge Farm or Texas toast or callah, French bread,cinnamon raisin, whatever you prefer)

Beat Together:

4 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 cup of milk

1/2 c fresh oj

1/2 t cinnamon

A splash of amaretto, gran marnier, or bailey’s really adds a depth of flavor (optional)

Pou over bread and let set over night in fridge. Bake at 350 for 35-40 mins. Serve with hot syrup. ENJOY!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Mama Bird was featured!!

As you all or most of you know by now I am all about trying to be GREEN, ORGANIC, healthy lifestyle at home that translates into all I do. Be it up-cycling décor or craft projects or baking my yummy cupcakes with local eggs and butter and fresh IN SEASON produce; ingredients you can pronounce, butter, eggs, flour, you get my drift!!

A dear friend from college and old roomie, Vanessa is the GREEN GODDESS! She has started her own blog The Southern Greenie (isn’t that the cutest name?!) PLEASE pop over and welcome her to the blogging world. I promise she will not disappoint!! She has the inside dish on EVERYTHING from clothing to food to skin products she know who is who and who is really GREEN!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Deanna’s Grape Salad

We recently had a pot luck lunch at work and Deanna brought a Grape Salad, odd at first glance but oh so tasty and really quick and easy to make! I am going to take this to Christmas Morning Brunch.

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup  sour cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 pounds seedless red grapes
• 2 pounds seedless green grapes
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans just before serving. Feeds a lot!!

What is your FAV Brunch dish?

xoxo, Mama Bird

Food Gifts #2~ Homemade Hot Chocolate

Can you say yummy?

I had no idea that something could taste SO much better! No wonder I was never really a fan of the instant stuff in a packet. This is so easy and inexpensive! I bought all the ingredients for apx $12 and made a HUGE batch. apx 20 ~1/2 c servings. I looked at lots of recipes and kinda blended them all together and came up with this. Feel free to change it up to your taste.

1 box (9.6 oz) instant nonfat dry milk

1 box (8 0z) cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1(15 oz) Non-dairy creamer (I used French Vanilla)

3 cups sugar

6 dashes of cayenne pepper

This filled 2 quart storage bags.

Mix 3 Tb with 1 cup of hot milk. Freaking Delish!!

Christmas Treats!

RE-POST!! I am so happy to share 3 of my favorite sweet treats. One from my Mom, one from my Mother-in-law and a cookie recipe from ME! How fun!! Yesterday, Jack and I made the Reindeer Cookies and switched them up a little. The result was fantab!! I replaced the craisins and the raisins
for dried cherries and dried apples. YUM!!!

Reindeer Cookies
3 eggs
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 jar Nutella (you can use peanut butter)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 c m&m's (holiday mix)
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c craisins
2 tsp baking soda
4 c oatmeal (quick cooking)
Preheat oven to 350. In a very large bowl combine eggs & sugars then add each ingredient and mix. Bake 8-10 mins. Yummy!!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
This is the best little addition to any party! My MIL introduced this to me years ago when Hubs and I were first dating. I have taken it so many places for so many different things and everyone always wants the recipe. It is great served with graham crackers.
1~ 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter (don't substitute, will not work!)
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 c conf. sugar
2 Tb brown sugar
3/4 c mini choc chips
3/4 c chopped pecans
Mix all ing together except pecans, chill overnight so that you can roll into a ball and roll ball in pecans. Delish!

Tina's Kentucky Pie
This is a recipe my Mother has made every holiday since I can remember. It is so easy!
1~ 9 in pie shell
1/2 c choc chips
1 stick margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c plain flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts
Put chips in bottom of pie shell, mix other ingredients together and pour over chips. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

Antiques Fair Soup & Sammie

This is a tried and true classic recipe! I think it started back in the 60's when the Service League started doing their annual Antiques Fair. Of coures back then it was held at the Foundation Center, which is now a YMCA and the Antiques Fair has now been replaced by the Kitchens and more tour. Times they are a changing... But, this recipe is a great "old school" favorite of everyone in town. How can you bet the classic Vegetable Beef Soup and Chicken Salad Sandwich?

Antiques FairVegetable Beef Soup
Must make ahead! (Makes apx 1 gallon)

1lb lean stew beef
water
1 lb potatoes, peeled & cubed
1/2 lb onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (20 oz) pkg frozen mixed veggies (whatever you like)
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
seasonings to taste
Brown meat, drain & rinse, cover with water and simmer until very tender. Add remaining ingredients
and simmer for several hours.

Cooking note: if you want to make this in the crockpot you easily could. You also may need to add beef bullion, broth, or V8 to thin soup.

Turkey Salad
5 cups cooked turkey, cubed (reserve 1/4 c stock) {you can use chicken}
2 cups celery, finely chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, grated
1/8 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
mayonnaise to taste

Start with a cup or so of mayo, if the turkey  is moist you will not need all of this. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT mayo and including stock then add mayo a bit at a time until you get the perfect spreading consistency.

Both recipes are from one of my all time fav cookbooks Market to Market. Thanks to the Hickory Service League for the recipes!

Happy Cooking!!
xoxo, Mama Bird

Peanut Butter Vegetable Soup

                                     Souper Sunday
Today I am featuring my dear friend, Annelise, she is an amazing Mommy to 2 adorable boys. She shared this recipe with me and I had to call and ask her if I read it right? Peanut butter in soup? I didn't know... But, she confirmed it and I gave it a try! Wonderful! 

Below you will find 2 recipes, hers and mine. Not that I thought it need to be changed I just used what I had on hand and she says any veggie will work . This is that kind of soup that your grandma made, you know it's always a bit different. Great way to clean out the fridge and it also freezes well!!

Peanut Butter - Vegetable Chicken Soup

8 c Chicken Broth (if broth is salty, use only 4 cups broth, the rest water)

2 c Diced cooked chicken

1 c peeled and diced potatoes (sweet potato's are awesome in this soup too!)

1 c diced carrots

1 c diced zuccini

1 c broccoli or cauliflower florets

1 c diced tomatoes (I use one can of diced tomatoes from the store)

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped green pepper (I use red)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)

1 c peanut butter (add more to taste - I use simply jiff)

1 Tbs minced fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried

S&P to taste

If you like a little kick add Cayenne pepper :)

In a large pot combine broth, chicken, carrots and potato - bring to a boil and cook for about 10 min or so.Add zuk, broc/cauli, toatoes, celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic - simmer for 8 min or so.Add peanut butter (make sure to taste and add more if needed), S&P and stirring until pb is melted and fully blended. Simmer for 4 more min.You can cook longer, but the main thing is to make sure potatoes and veggies are cooked to your liking. Enjoy :)!

My version:

4 cups each chicken stock & chicken broth

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 baking potato, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 28oz can whole tomatoes with juice, broken up with a fork (I like the texture)

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups leftover stew beef

1 cup baby lima beans

1 cup green beans

1 cup corn

several dashes Worcestershire sauce

S & P to taste

dash of red pepper (goes great with the peanut butter!)

In large pot combine broth, potatoes, carrots, celery & onion cook for 10-15 mins add tomatoes, peanut butter & beef cook for another 10 mins or so then add remaining ingredients. I let mine simmer on low for the entire afternoon! YUMMY!!

Amazing Gifts… {part 1}

My gift guide is a quirky little combo I am putting together mainly as to remind myself of the great ideas I had, forgot and am wanting to recall. Honesty IS the best policy right???

Mothers, grandparents, teachers this gift has it all a Handprint Board thanks to the twins at Lolly Jane!

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven”

For all the nephews I am getting these marshmallow guns! If you are an anti- gun person, then this isn’t for you. I think the mini marshmallow launchers are adorable and I know the boys will love them!

For the young girls I am going with my favorite Piggy Paint the non toxic “natural as mud” polish for kids!!

Check back tomorrow for more gift ideas.

xoxo, Mama Bird