FriendlyIam

Last week was my little guy's birthday! Although I love to bake, I am by no means a professional baker. I lack the talent and the patience. However, there has always been one cake that I wanted to try and make- and this year was the year! It's called a 'piniata cake' It is a cake that is hollowed out in the center and filled with lots and lots of candy. Then it is topped with a decorated chocolate dome, and brought to the table with a toy hammer, and all the kids take turns trying to break the dome and get to the candy. It is a ton of fun! Luckily, I got some great guidance and encouragement from a friend of mine, who happens to be a professional baker. I loved the challenge, especially because the result was awesome- and my kids are still talking about it!!! If you're gonna bake a birthday cake- make it a good one. Here's how to do it. You will need: A medium sized steel bowl. This is for making the chocolate dome. 4 cups of chocolate chip + 1/4 cup Crisco (to ...

I like a recipe that is simple, straightforward and delicious. I like a recipe that I can understand the first time I read it. These are the types of recipes I try to create. It's that time of year again- Autumn. Everywhere I look, I see squash and pumpkins...all shapes and sizes. This is one of those recipes. Not much to think about- but it will keep you wanting more. Baked wedges of butternut squash topped with savory, toasty herbed crumbs. You can't get it wrong. I know that typically butternut squash should be served as a side dish, but I love serving this as an appetizer. I bake these delights early in the day (They can even be made up to 3 days in advance and reheated!) and when I set my table I place one butternut squash wedge on a salad plate atop every place setting for each of my guests. Beautiful, seasonal and when paired with a nice glass of red- it's a perfect start to an autumn dinner. Butternut Squash with Sage Crumbs Serves 6-10 1 large butternut squash, see...