What I Made Wednesday

Well, technically it's what I made on Tuesday, but as I'm sharing it with you today I think I'm safe to title the post What I Made Wednesday. While the loves of my life were working and napping on Valentine's Day, I decided to get messy productive.

I got right down to business during the morning nap and whipped up a sweet treat for dessert for our v-day dinner at home. On the weekend I enjoyed a delicious cupcake made by Sweet Love Bake Shoppe. I've been wanting to try icing up my own fancy cupcakes at home for a while and my weekend indulgence collided with the love day holiday creating the perfect timing. I found this recipe by Brown Eyed Baker and tried my hand with a Mocha Cupcake topped off with Espresso Buttercream Icing. Given it was my first time really icing a cupcake with an actual pastry bag and special star tip, I think they turned out lover-ly.

I did modify the icing recipe just a bit as it tasted way too buttery and not nearly sugary enough for my tastes. I added about 3/4 of a cup more icing sugar and a few splashes of coffee jacked up with extra espresso powder until it was the taste and consistency I like in a buttercream. Des ate two after dinner, as did I, so I can heartily recommend them. Even my little batter taste tester gives his stamp of approval.

Between baking and icing {the cupcakes had to cool off a little}, I hauled out the scrapbook supplies. I had a copy of HPs Valentines picture printed off and wanted to scrapbook it. HP was still napping so I got started. I sprayed ink, I cut paper, I stuck tape and before I knew it, he was awake and my crafting went on hold for a bit. I finished it up after he went down for his afternoon nap. I still might add some journalling strips to the left of the title before I call it fully done. Isn't he just the sweetest little Valentine?

and who says you can't use pink on a boy layout ;)

I had planned a run during afternoon nap, but was still waiting for Rogers to show for a repair appointment. Rather than waste the time, I also cooked up a batch of kale chips. Des and I love them and my batch last week failed for some unknown reason. Simply wouldn't crisp in the oven. Then at a lovely retro cocktail party on the weekend complete with sidecars and martinis with olives, there was a bowl of the green goodness. We nibbled on some, but did our best not to eat the lot in case others should want some. Of course that just left us craving for more. This batch came up great and made the perfect pre-dinner treat when Des got home from work.

I ended the day making supper - a shrimp risotto with roasted asparagus. I don't know about you, but I call cupcakes + icing, a scrapbook layout, kale chips, and supper a pretty good What I Made Wednesday Tuesday ;)