WOW! It's officially been a year since the launch of iDoOriginals.com. It's been an amazing whirlwind of a year and I feel so fortunate for the way iDoOriginals was received by brides and wedding professionals across the nation. In the first year we've completed just under 500 orders... and the best part is that all our clients find us through word of mouth. That's right, we have never once done any advertising. The word spread so quickly through the wedding community and we love the fact that brides come to us through referrals from other brides and wedding professionals. It's such an honor that our clients think so highly of us that they want to share their experiences with others. I feel so fortunate for all the wonderful people I've met and worked with throught our first year and I look forward to many more years in the industry along with exciting new growth.
Amanda assembling her strawberry cupcakes, with real strawberries inside.
If you're just joining us, this is part 2 of my interview with Amanda of Is This Thing On?. You can find part one here.
Newly Domesticated: When did you really get into baking? Why?
Amanda:I really got into baking last summer. I made a batch or two of cupcakes with Kate of Domestic Empress in summer 2007, and I guess that piqued my interest in the whole cupcake world. But… I stuck to the box mixes for about a year after that and only made cupcakes for parties and actual events.
My cupcake “A-Ha moment” came in summer 2008. I was taking a course taught by a professor who encouraged, really demanded, that we bring some sort of snack to each class meeting. For some insane reason, I ended up making three batches of cupcakes in a period of six days. I think those cupcakes all involved box mixes in some way, but they went over really well. That’s when I became addicted. Since that then-uncharacteristic burst, I’ve made cupcakes, or some other really ambitious baked good, about once a week.
ND: How do you come up with new cupcake ideas? What is the creative cooking process?
A:I get most of my cupcake ideas and recipes from the blogs I read. Cookbooks also provide really great jumping points. Following recipes to the letter is fun, but I like messing with them too. I mean, what cupcake won’t taste better with a bit of white chocolate ganache between the cake and icing?
Usually I start with a theme or an occasion and then try to choose flavors and decorations from there. The Hokie Hi-Hat cupcakes are a perfect example of this: a friend decided on his PhD program so I started with one of his favorite cakes and went from there. Other times I start with a flavor that I just want to bake. Like right now, I really want to bake a chai cupcake that I found on my cupcake calendar. Sadly, I’ve been moving that recipe back for months because it just doesn’t really fit. One day…
Slicing up onions for orange chicken with vegetables.
ND: Biggest cooking blunder?
A:A few weeks ago I dropped an entire batch of lemon cake batter on the floor. It was so disappointing that I lost all words. I knew I should be crying or cursing or something, but I just couldn’t believe that it actually happened. I stared at it, took a bunch of pictures and then started all over again.
Flavor-wise, I completely failed on the dry run for Christmas party egg nog cupcakes. I didn’t have rum in the house, so I used bourbon. And I ended up eating four of the six cupcakes that weekend since I was just making them to test the recipe before the party. Something about the combination of bourbon and overwhelming sweetness has completely turned me off and I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to drink bourbon again. However … the rum version was a big hit at the party.
When it comes to the savory, I usually slightly mess up each thing I cook. I’m the girl who burns rice to the pan and forgets about the chicken in the oven. Cooking isn’t as exact as baking, so I think there are more opportunities for me to totally fail. I take advantage of those opportunities more often than I’d like.
A: Hmm… that’s tough. I’d probably say that the dishes I made for Daring Bakers challenges have been my biggest triumphs. Each month, the Daring Bakers send out a challenge recipe for the members to make, bake, and blog. I joined the DBs in February, so I’ve only completed two challenges so far (lasagna & cheesecake). The lasagna was okay and my taste-testers loved it; I, on the other hand, did not. The cheesecake was so ridiculously good, though, that I would have to say that was my biggest kitchen triumph. I was really scared going into the challenge, but I was really impressed with the results. I made a chocolate, espresso, heath cheesecake after the flavors in Gifford’s Maine Deer Tracks ice cream. I might still be in love with that cheesecake.
Amanda's homemade pasta, laid out to dry.
ND: Favorite cookbook or recipe you'd like to share?
A:I highly recommend "Cupcakes by the Cake Mix Doctor" by Anne Byrn.Each recipe starts with a box mix and results in amazing cupcakes. No one has to know. If you want to try out some of Byrn’s recipes before you invest in the book, I have a tag dedicated to the Cake Mix Doctor on my blog.
ND: What is something you want to try, but intimidates you?
A:Oh… I would love be able to make pastries, the fancy, light, airy pastries that the pros are so good at. I’ve always just assumed that I would fail miserably and end up with wet, flat, nasty dough, so I’ve never tried. Each time the Daring Bakers put up a challenge I get equal parts nervous and excited that it will be some fancy shmancy pastry. Hopefully next month!
Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls) in an exclusive Interview for MULATSCHAG TV about her experiences working as a living statue, her marriage with Writer Neil Gaiman, and why conquering Hollywood is not high on her Priority-List.
Sometimes we just have to pat ourselves on the back... and this is one of those times. Bride Holly came to us with her own monogram (above) and requested that we paint it onto an aisle runner for her. We have to admit that we were a little apprehensive about it as the design was so intricate, but we love a challenge so we agreed to help and we are so proud with how it turned out! And how beautiful is that color combo?! I adore everything about this runner... I don't even want to ship it out because I want to hang it up in the studio it's so gorgeous! I absolutely cannot WAIT for Holly & James to receive their runner. Holly & James please have your photographer take lots of pictures of the runner so we can have you as one of our "Featured Couples!" Best wishes!
Related Videos :below I show related videos and not so related to this article.
Title: (HQ) iCarly "Spaghetti Taco Night" November 6th!
Due to the recent huge boom in popularity of Spencer's (really) famous spaghetti tacos, they got their very own spotlight on Nick! Cook up a batch, then enjoy a whole night of spaghetti and taco filled iCarly episodes November 6th. :)
Check it out: http://danwarp.blogspot.com/2010/10/spaghetti-tacos-sweep-nation-really.html
Title: Samsara club - Agonismo - Spotlight
Annalisa, Chiara, Marilisa, Michela e Monica danzano una coreografia di Sarah Shahine con la quale hanno gareggiato per la stagione 2009/2010 Danze Orientali...
3 ori ottenuti in gare nazionali...
Campionesse Regione Lombardia...
Vincitrici della Coppa Italia...
Quarte al Campionato Europeo...
Campionesse Italiane!!!
Documento sin título
Related Videos :below I show related videos and not so related to this article.
Title: Berlinale 2010: "I Shot My Love" Trailer (Berlin Film Festival Feature)
As part of our culture-gems spotlight, we're featuring one of the most thought provoking and highly discussed foreign independent movies at the recent Berlin Film Festival 2010, the Berlinale. A unique different look at a modern German-Israeli love affair.
Seventy years after his grandfather escapes from Nazi Germany to Palestine, Israeli documentary director Tomer Heymann returns to the country of his ancestors to present his film Paper Dolls at the Berlin International Film Festival, and there meets a man who will change his life.
This 48-hour love affair, originating in Berghain Panorama Bar, develops into a significant relationship between Tomer and Andreas Merk, a German dancer. When Andreas decides to move to Tel-Aviv, he not only has to cope with a new partner, but to manage the complex realities of life in Israel and his personal connection to it as a German citizen.
Tomer's mother, descendent of German immigrants was born and lived all her life in a small Israeli village, where she raised five sons. One by one, she watches her children leave the country she and her family helped to build, and now cannot help but try to influence the life of Tomer, the one son who remains.
I SHOT MY LOVE tells a personal but universal love story and follows the triangular relationship between Tomer, his German boyfriend, and his intensely Israeli mother.
* Written and directed by: Tomer Heymann
* Producers: Barak Heymann, Tomer Heymann
* Co-producer: Carl-Ludwig Rettinger
* Commissioning Editor: Sabine Rollberg
* Research: Tali-Shamir Werzberger
* Cameraman: Tomer Heymann
* Editor: Ido Mochrick
* Original Score: Israel Bright & Eran Weitz
The film was co-produced with WDR/ARTE and was fund by The New Foundation for Cinema & T.V, The Jewish Theatre Stockholm, Foundation for Jewish Culture and Gesher Multicultural Film Fund.
Title: Samsara club - Agonismo - Spotlight
Annalisa, Chiara, Marilisa, Michela e Monica danzano una coreografia di Sarah Shahine con la quale hanno gareggiato per la stagione 2009/2010 Danze Orientali...
3 ori ottenuti in gare nazionali...
Campionesse Regione Lombardia...
Vincitrici della Coppa Italia...
Quarte al Campionato Europeo...
Campionesse Italiane!!!
Remember your first date? You wanted everything to be perfect; you packed your juiciest peaches 'n' cream Lip Smackers gloss, pinched your cheeks and tousled your hair the way girls do in movies. You primped and you preened and you obsessed.
That was me, getting ready for my first dinner guest. Forget that Ashleigh, my guest, came to this apartment before we even brought in furniture. It was going to be hard to blow her away since she helped pick out the dining table. But I still wanted to set a gorgeous table with Anthropologie napkins and my grandmother's trivet, serve a delish meal, wow her with my cheap wine and serve perfectly chilled chocolate raspberry mousse.
Here's how it really went: I decided to serve baked three-cheese pasta, a recipe from "Anyone Can Cook." It is basically a glorified Mac-N-Cheese; it calls for pasta, butter, milk, American cheese, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.
I had hoped to attempt to make chocolate raspberry mousse, but that takes two hours to chill, and since I was busy from 9 a.m. this morning, that didn't happen.
I had barely dropped the ziti in the pot when Ashleigh came in. My timing was epically off. I preheated the oven too early, turned it off when I realized that, and forgot to preheat again. I underestimated the time it would take to: Make the pasta, preheat the oven, add the cheese and milk and butter, bake the pasta, stir it, bake some more and then cool for 10 minutes. I was practically buzzed off wine by the time we served the pasta!
Me, serving up my concoction.
Ashleigh, getting ready to enjoy my concoction.
The pasta was good; it was cheesy and filling, but not too much. But even though I followed the instructions to the T, it definitely needs some kick. Maybe chicken, or tomatoes, or bread crumbs on top, or ham, or bacon, or chives. Just ... something.
And Ashleigh was a great first dinner guest. She wasn't disappointed at my utter failure to wow her and surprise her with mousse and luckily, she enjoyed two scoops of Haagen Dazs Fleur de Sel caramel ice cream (OMG so good), so I felt like I was a good date.
I made these yesterday to bring to work tonight. One of my good friends at work is leaving to move home closer to her parents with her husband. I wanted to bring in something sweet for her and I know she likes peanut butter. The "cookie base" is different than what I usually use for cookies but it was good just the same. If you like peanut butter, you will love these cookies!
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Source: Heather Drive
Ingredients: - 2 cups + 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour - 1/2 tsp. baking soda - 1/2 tsp. salt - 12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm - 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar - 1/2 cup granulated sugar - 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk - 2 tsp. vanilla extract - 1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ~ I used 2/3 c. - 1/2 - 1 cup peanut butter chips ~ I used 2/3 c.
Directions:
1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (18 minutes was WAY too long for mine), rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.
Music by: Jason Shaw http://www.youtube.com/user/audionautix
I was looking for a good recipe for a colleague at work who love peanut butter and chocolate. I found this one on the Woman's Day website. It was love at first sight.
INGREDIENTS 1 box Chocolate Brownies mix 1⁄2 cup peanut butter chips 1⁄2 cup dry roasted peanuts (original recipe says chopped, I left them whole)
Peanut Butter Filling 3⁄4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff or Creme) 3⁄4 stick (6 Tbsp) butter, softened 3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar (also called icing sugar or powdered sugar)
PREPARATION 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-in. square pan with foil, letting foil extend above pan on opposite sides. Coat foil with nonstick spray.
2. Prepare brownie mix as package directs for fudgy brownies. Stir in peanut butter chips and peanuts. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. Filling: Beat peanut butter, marshmallow cream and butter in a medium bowl with mixer on high speed until well blended. Reduce speed to low, add confectioners' sugar and beat until blended. Spread evenly over brownie.
5. Glaze: Microwave chocolate and butter, stirring at 30-second intervals, until melted and smooth. Cool slightly; stir in corn syrup. Spread evenly over Filling. Refrigerate 1 hour until Filling is firm and Glaze sets.
6. Lift foil by ends onto a cutting board. Cut in 6 rows lengthwise and 6 crosswise.
Planning Tip: Refrigerate in a rigid container with wax paper between layers up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.
These taste a bit like the peanut butter equivalent to "Nanaimo bars" which are Canada born. These are Nanaimo bars: http://www.eclecticcook.com/nanaimo-bars-the-real-deal/ They are no-bake, come to think of it, I think I may make them here eventually. :)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
Combine the above two ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Combine eggs and sugar together and whisk in cocoa powder
Slowly pour about half the hot milk mixture into the eggs whisking constantly. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the custard reaches 175 F on a thermometer and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not allow to mixture to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
Refrigerate until cold, pour into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.
Music by Jason Shaw http://www.youtube.com/user/audionautix Jason Shaw@audionautix.com
WOW! It's officially been a year since the launch of iDoOriginals.com. It's been an amazing whirlwind of a year and I feel so fortunate for the way iDoOriginals was received by brides and wedding professionals across the nation. In the first year we've completed just under 500 orders... and the best part is that all our clients find us through word of mouth. That's right, we have never once done any advertising. The word spread so quickly through the wedding community and we love the fact that brides come to us through referrals from other brides and wedding professionals. It's such an honor that our clients think so highly of us that they want to share their experiences with others. I feel so fortunate for all the wonderful people I've met and worked with throught our first year and I look forward to many more years in the industry along with exciting new growth.
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