How to Make Hand Stamped Cookies (the Lazy Way)

Last December I shared the Hey Baby Shower I threw for my BFF Mary. She's since had her lovely baby (a girl!) and all is well in the world. One thing I made for the shower were these stamped cookie pops. It was so easy and fun to do, let me show you how...

Oh, and let me show you that fresh new baby!
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It's a Marshmallow World

Guess the very first thing that I did in 2012. Yes, I made marshmallows. Heavenly, delicious marshmallows using Jaime's marshmallow recipe. At midnight. Ya know how people say the Grand Canyon is majestic and amazing but you never really know what they mean until you see it for yourself? Trust me. Make these marshmallows.

Substitute 1 teaspoon almond extract for the coffee (or vanilla) extract listed in the recipe. Pop one in your morning coffee. Eat them straight. Taunt your brother with them. All delightful options.

If you want to go fancy for the kids, see this post for DIY "peeps."

Gordon's First - Football Birthday Party

This past Saturday we celebrated Gordon's first birthday with a NFL playoff party here at the house. We made three kinds of soup served up in Crock Pots with fresh bread and cheese. We mixed up a batch of our signature Orange Slush. The kids played in the ball pit and had a pick-up game of football in the backyard. The birthday boy put on a great "cake smash" show. This was an easy party to pull together. Ill be sharing all of the details and simple DIYs. For now, here are some photos!

Mama treated herself to some DIY football nails.

Tissue pom poms are a cheap, quick and big impact decoration.

Turn a plain white t-shirt into an easy football "jersey." Nibble on delicious baby boy.

But there's more...
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Cookie Cutter Confections: A Simple Party Treat

Here is a simple last-minute sweet treat to use as a party favor or kid-friendly activity.

Read on for the quick DIY


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The Simplest (and Most Tastiest) Strawberry Shortcake

I just had to share this Strawberry Shortcake recipe with you, because it's one of those last-minute desserts that makes a lady look super fancy, yet it can be made in under 30 minutes with stuff most of us have in the pantry (much like our super-popular scones recipe).

We know Prudent Mamas are all about homemade goodness with minimal (read: we have kids) time investment. Read on to find out how to make super-simple strawberry shortcake from scratch after the jump...
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A Healthier Zucchini Bread Recipe (Made with Whole Wheat Flour)

With our zucchini growing in overdrive, I make this recipe AT LEAST once a week (this and our zucchini pickles and gallettes). I usually make two or three batches at a time, then give away mini loafs like zucchini bread is going out of style. I've tried many things to improve upon the recipe, but it really is best just as is. I discovered it in my favorite cookbook of all time, The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. This should be in every family's arsenal, and they don't pay me to say that. It gives a healthier way to make just about every basic recipe, and a ton of inspiration for healthy, yet delicious, family meals and desserts, along with lots of basic cooking advice and instruction.

I'll share my version of the Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread recipe after the jump, I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.
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Wilton Workshop: Behind the scenes (part 2)

As a geek-level lover of sugar arts, I was over-the-moon to get an invite to Wilton headquarters for buttercream and fondant lessons, a sneak-peek at new products, a behind-the-scenes tour and the baking supply tent sale of all tent sales. We are talking "things I must do before I die" level of excitement. Like I said... geek.

Want to see all the goodies?


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Wilton Workshop: Behind the Scenes at Cake Decorating Headquarters

A few weeks ago Jacinda and I (and our friend Rebecca from Cooking With My Kid) had the good fortune to be invited to jet off to Chicago for a Wilton blogger workshop of fantasy cake decorating goodness and joy. We learned some basic cake decorating techniques with buttercream and fondant, had a little competition with some bloggy friends, hit up the Wilton tent sale, and best of all, got a full behind the scenes tour of Wilton headquarters. There's a "decorating room" full of people whose job it is to decorate cakes! All day! It's amazing! Check out pics after the jump...
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Fun with Fondant: It's Easier Than You Think

Before heading out to the lovely Wilton Workshop (that we were facebooking and tweeting about non-stop a few weeks back), my daughter made me promise that upon my return we would make some cake for her class party at school. NOT A PROBLEM! So, while at the ridiculous-giant-amazing Wilton tent sale, I snagged a bunch of fun pans, one of which was this popsicle mini cake pan.

These are perfect for playing with fondant! I had used fondant once before, to create a ridiculous over-the-top cake for Scarlet's Circus First Birthday, and I think I was too ambitious and scared myself off of fondant for a few years. Well, after getting some basic instruction at the workshop, I was newly excited to dig in for some fondant fun, as was Scarlet. It really is a blast to do with your kids. You might even call it edible play dough? Wait, play doug is edible isn't it? Well fondant tastes better. Let me show you how we made a different kind of cake pop and some fondant basics after the jump...
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Ombré Cupcakes

Do your kids just eat the frosting off of cupcakes and leave the tasty cake behind. Clare does. So in a effort to get her to eat her birthday cake, and score some "awesome mom" points by making another party element pink, I tried the Ombré trend in edible form. Since I can't pull off Ombré hair, these tasty treats will have to do.

Here's what I did...
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Liege Waffle Recipe

While in lovely Salt Lake City, Jacinda and I dashed through the rain (sharing an umbrella, romantic) for a Machine Gun Sandwich and liege waffles at Bruges Waffles. The waffle was so mouth-wateringly delicious, with a little crunch and lots of cinnamon-y sweetness, that I had to try making one myself.

Most liege waffle recipes call for Pearl Sugar, which is a swedish sugar that most of us don't have on hand. I made mine without pearl sugar, and they were close enough to please. Let me share my liege waffles recipe after the jump...

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The Sleeping Beauty Party: Pinky's Revenge

We are going through pink detox here at the Boneau house. We had Clare's VERY PINK and VERY FUN 4th birthday party this past weekend. She told us she wanted a Sleeping Beauty party so we mixed up a little "princess" with a bit "sleepover" and a bit "Beauty parlor."






Click through for all of the details and plenty of eye candy.
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Create any Cake Design with a Star Tip

Want to learn the super easy way to add any graphic to a cake? Using a toothpick, a star-tipped pastry bag and any stencil, you can make a pretty confection for your next cake-worthy affair. This elephant number was from Quinn's Animal Party. Let me walk you through the simple-dimple steps of star-tip decorating.


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Quinn's Animal Birthday Party

This weekend we celebrated Miss Quinn Frances' 2nd Birthday - Animal Style! I couldn't commit to "circus" or "jungle" so it just ended up as a mash-up of the elements I liked most from each. There was also a little hand-made, a little store-bought and a few things I just had lying around the house. Quinn was only concerned that there be monkeys and elephants. Check!

Over the next week or so I'll be posting a few DIY's and the sources for all the party goodies. If you have any thoughts or questions, leave a comment! It could win you an oliver + s pattern from fabricworm!


Read on to see more photos ...
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No Bake Easter Nest Cookies

Not a new concept in cookie-making, but I had never made these Easter nest cookies before and they were so super easy as a last-minute treat to take to the school party (and the kids went nuts for 'em) that I thought I'd share. We can't make insane decorated sugar cookies for every single occasion, right? Learn how to make no-bake easter nest cookies after the jump...
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How to Ice A Cake With A Cake Stencil

A cake stencil is a super easy and fun way to spruce up a cake. I used Jacinda's How to Ice A Cake tute, along with her Evil Buttercream Icing recipe to make this cake for Scarlet and Niko's Third Birthday Fiesta, and I added a cake stencil.

I also made the layers different colors, just for fun.

Let me walk you through How to Ice A Cake With A Cake Stencil after the jump...

Have you ever used a cake stencil? What's your method? And does the site of the yellow make you as sad as it made me? Let us know in the comments, you could win that amazing Belle & Blue Chair.
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Cookie Decor: How to Make A Cookie Board & Cookie Bunting

I used to detest paper projects and cookie decorating because of the precision and attention to detail they require. I don't know what happened, but lately I'm totally Sweet on Paper. Since we asked y'all to create paper packaging for a sweet treat for our Sweet on Paper Contest to win a new Brother All-in-One 11X17 Printer/Scanner/Fax, I thought I'd try to do the same. And once you spend this much time making cookies, what's a few more hours?

Here's my entry, find out How to Make A Cookie Board Display and Cookie Bunting after the jump...
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Cupcake Pancakes

Too fun. We made them cupcake-shaped using this method then added some whipped cream and chocolate chips. A nice sugary start to the morning. Hey, I never said I was a healthy eating type. If it says "cake" twice in the name of your food, it's probably not a good idea. Don't judge me.

Do you feed your children any not-so-great-for-them foods? What do they love? Leave us a comment revealing the sordid details and you could win some key fob hardware to make your own Key Fobs with our tute!

Sweet on Paper: Paper Bias Tape Bags

Here is a quick way to make little paper bags for sweet treats! It uses the same technique as bias tape (with a little cheat) but made with paper. I used my new 11"x17" All-In-One Printer from Brother. The same printer that we are giving away in our contest, to scan a beautiful vintage (and possibly hand-made?) doily from my mom and got to work!

Read on to learn how to make Paper Bias Tape Treat Bags.

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