turquoise and pink party favors

Charley loves Hello Kitty, and what little girl doesn't!

So when I asked her what kind of birthday party she would like this year, she excitedly told me "Hello Kitty, mommy!"

I'll be honest, I didn't know too much about Hello Kitty, except that she's a simple white kitty who wears different colored bows. 

"Ummmm, kind of boring" I thought to myself . . . that is, until I discovered the THIS Hello Kitty line!

Aren't they darling and stylish!?!

And so it was this Hello Kitty line that inspired the color scheme and decorations for Charley's birthday party!

I wanted to make party favors like THESE hand-made paper gifts, but with several unexpected appointments between now and next weekend . . . I just don't have the time. 

So while looking for an alternative solution, I came across these party favor boxes; and the best part, they were a steal!! The package  included 12 boxes, black ribbons, stickers, and tags for $3.00! 

I added silver tinsel IN the boxes for bling (smile), tied huge (I mean, HUGE!) pink bows on top, and added a tiara ring (8 for $1.00 from a Cake Shop) for a 'royal' effect.

The end result . . . over-the-top PRETTY favor boxes!

~ His & Heis party favor boxes ~

~ my basic supplies ~

A peak into the favor boxes . . . 

~ PINK chocolate candies ~

~ princess tattoos ~

~ bubble gum salt water taffee! ~ 

~ Hello Kitty bling ~

 ~ petite LOLLIPOPS! ~ 

 . . . . and lots of silver tinsel!

All dressed up . . .

A special thank you 

to Charley for her help in putting these together!

fancy paper straws

Next weekend is our oldest daughter's 5th birthday! 

And we've been making fancy paper straws for her guests!

Here's a peak into our project . . .

I found so many pretty things to adorn the rosettes.

Many of the "pretties" were from dollar bins!

The darling red felt puffy hearts were 8 for $1.00,

and the spools of ribbon were 25 cents each!

This rosette was designed by Charley!

An accordion of paper ~ just before it will become a rosette!

Charley holding HER rosette! 

On to Mommy's photo shoot!

We made 20 fancy paper straws, and every one of them is different.

Charley chose her favorites for this shoot! 

They're just so pretty!

 ~ a feminine pink VINTAGE button ~

We LOVE polka dots!

 ~ a sweet design by Charley ~

~ a collage of pink gems ~

This is my favorite photo!

I wanted to highlight the beautiful silver tray that 

these fancy paper straws will lay in for the party.

We're making these fancy paper straws for the 

Cotton Candy Shirley Temples

that we'll be serving to her guests!

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fudgy brownie cake ~ Valrohna chocolate

I love chocolate.

And if you love chocolate like I do, then you're always looking for the ultimate in chocolate flavor and texture.

I found this recipe in this month's Martha Stewart's LIVING magazine . . . and after reading its ingredients and preparation . . . I had to try it! 

Yes, I agree ~ it may look plain . . . but inside, it's moist, dense, and intensely flavored.

In other words, it's a chocolate lover's dream.

I highly recommend using an exceptional chocolate, like Valrohna, for this dessert . . .  especially if you're making it for a special someone. 

Just one slice will completely satisfy your chocolate craving. I promise.

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into large pieces, plus more for pan

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 to 70 percent cacao), finely chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 large egg yolk plus 3 large egg whites, room temperature, divided

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt  

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch spring-form pan. Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in 3/4 cup sugar. Whisk in egg yolk, then cocoa powder and salt.

Beat egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high, gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until soft, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Fold flour into chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula, then fold in egg whites. Pour batter into pan, and bake until set, about 33 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove side of pan, and dust top of cake with cocoa powder.

bon appetit!

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mini angel food cakes

Angel food cake reminds me of my dad.

It was his favorite cake ~ of all time. 

My mom baked him an angel food cake from scratch, at least once a month. She made a simple glaze for it too . . . powdered sugar and cream, I think.  

It's about that time of year when my family and I gather over a big meal at Buca di Beppo's to share in one another's company, laughter, and to remember my dad . . . all over yummy food and amazing desserts! 

With every passing year, I plan an activity, or share a dessert, that reminds us of our dad.

His favorite candy was See's Divinity. I thought I would tackle the candy-making challenge last year, and made home-made divinity . . . and packaged the candy for each of my siblings and our mom.  It was a hit!

So when I found these adorable MINI angel food cake pans a few months ago, I thought it would be neat to bake mini angel food cakes in honor of my dad for this year's memory celebration.  
    

 

My mom didn't stray much from recipes, so I thought I would bake these lightly sweet cakes with a twist. My dad loved coconut . . .  so I added coconut water to the recipe . . . and sprinkled coconut on them as well.  
  

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to baking desserts from scratch. 

BUT . . . I was told that BOXED angel food mix produces a slightly sweeter cake ~ compared to a cake made from scratch. 

If you've ever had angel food cake, then you know that it's texture is ever so soft ~ like clouds ~ and is mildly sweet. Some would say that it needs to be sweeter. If that's your preference, then preparing the box mix is for YOU.

I made both . . . one from a BOX mix . . . and one from scratch (Paula Deen's recipe). I thought both were good. There's something special about making it from scratch . . . it just makes me smile; but for ease . . . the box mix is just fine.

In honor of my dad, I will make mini angel food cakes for my siblings and mom . . . from scratch. 

For those looking for a quick and easy recipe, then I recommend the one below.

And if you can't find coconut water at your local market, then follow the directions on the box . . . and add 1 teaspoon of coconut extract.

For fun, I attached a polka dot flower sticker to a paper straw . . . and nestled it into the cake! So pretty!

 Ingredients

Cake

1 (16-ounce) box angel food cake mix

2/3 cup coconut water

Marshmallow Frosting

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 egg whites

1/4 cup marshmallow cream

1/2 cup coconut flakes, for decorating 

Preparation

For the cake 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat together the cake mix with coconut water. Fill 2 (6-count) mini angel food can pans halfway with batter. Bake until puffed, golden brown, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Invert the pans onto wire cooling racks and cool completely before removing from the pans.

for the frosting

Bring 2 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

In a large glass bowl that will fit over the saucepan  combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and egg whites. Place on top of the saucepan and beat for 7 minutes using an electric hand mixer. The frosting will be smooth, shiny, and form peaks when the mixer is lifted from the bowl. Remove from the heat and slowly beat in the marshmallow cream.

Frost each cake with the icing and sprinkle with coconut flakes.
To make colored coconut flakes, add 2 drops of food coloring to 2 cups of coconut flakes and stir until coconut flakes have smoothly and completely changed color.

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cotton candy shirley temple

Legend has it that the Shirley Temple beverage was created in the late 1930s at Hollywood's Chasen's Restaurant to celebrate the child star's 10th birthday, who often visited the restaurant.  

Since Shirley Temple was too young to drink alcoholic cocktails like the adult movie stars when she attended parties or visited with them, a drink concocted of the original 7-Up (or club soda), grenadine, and a maraschino cherry was created so that she, too, could enjoy parties and celebrations with a special drink.

The Classic Shirley Temple has grown in popularity over the years . . . and ~ to date
~ is the most popular "mocktail" (non-alcoholic beverage) among children and adults alike!

They are just so pretty . . . and taste so delightful. It's hard not to fall in love with it's beautiful pink-ish, red hue amidst a flurry of bubbles. And who doesn't get giddy over the prized treasure found at the bottom of the glass . . . a maraschino cherry!  

As a child, I remember asking sweetly "May I please have a Shirley Temple?" . . . and then offering a big, warm smile when ordering - with hopes that it would win over my waiter/waitress so that he/she might drop an extra cherry in my glass. It worked almost every time (big smile)! 

I think we all might share a similar story (wink)! 

My sweet Charley's 5th birthday is fast-approaching, and I thought it would be fun to serve Shirley Temple's at her party, but with a special twist!

Here's the funny thing . . . There's a restaurant on the east coast called O'Charley's (how ironic is that) who is known for their Cotton Candy Shirley Temples!  

Yes, you read right . . . Cotton Candy Shirley Temples!

What a fun twist on this "mocktail!" 

My Charley LOVES cotton candy and Shirley Temples separately, and to have them together in this edible mash-up... YUM! She is going to squeal in delight when I serve them to her and her friends! 

                             

Allow me to paint you a picture . . .  A glass of lemon-lime soda with a puff of pink cotton candy resting on top of the rim . . . gently push it down with your straw and watch it fizzle and dissolve into the drink. It makes the sweetest, girliest refreshment ever! 

I embellished already adorable paper straws with ribbon, stickers, and rosettes . . . so that after the cotton candy fizzles . . . the girls will still have something pretty to admire while sipping their mocktails. 

~ sweet endings ~

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Suburbs Mama, Carrie This Home, Twelve O Eight, The Tablescaper, Between Naps on the Front Porch, The Dedicated House, A Bright & Beautiful Life, Finding Silver Pennies, Rain on a Tin Roof, A Stroll Thru Life, CedarHill Ranch, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Mod Vintage Life, Savvy Southern Style, City Farm House, Elizabeth and Co, Chef in Training, Our Home Away From Home, Finding Fabulous, The Blissful Bee, The Style Sisters, Fluster Buster, Lamberts Lately, StoneGable, Katherine's Corner, Live Laugh Rowe, Jann Olson, From My Front Porch to Yours, The Newleywed Pilgrimage,  Becoming Martha, The Cottage Market, 504 Main, Tater Tots and Jello, Designs by Gollum, Brambleberry Cottage, Nancherro, A Delightsome Life, Jennifer Rizzo, Cooking with Curls, Your Homebased Mom, A Little Claireification, What's Cooking With Ruthie, Lady Behind the Curtain,  Sunflower Supper Club, Living Better Together, Simply Dream and Create, Tumbleweed Contessa, Made from Pinterest, Too Much Time, Simply Gloria, Common Ground