February Fun

Many hands make light work!

German Chocolate cake is a must have for Brooke's birthday

Much concentration required!

This would be Brooke's birthday cake.  Dallin baked it and but didn't flour the pan so I didn't feel safe getting it out of the pan to decorate...thus the cake pan.   I didn't have time anyway.  We went to Brooke and Whit's and had a mini birthday celebration since Whit whisked Brooke away on her birthday to Midway.  I forgot candles...again.   So we lite match sticks.  All 35 of them.  It took team work and a few fingers got burned but we had a great time doing it.  Then Dallin invented a new game...balance on the exercise ball.  He holds the current title since he stayed on the ball much longer than the rest of us!  Looks easy but just try it!

For Valentine's Day, Kim came home early and fed his bees.  They were busy buzzing everywhere and we were happy to see all three hives busy.  I had my Mia Maids come over and we decorated sugar cookies.  A must for Valentines Day!  The funnest part besides eating them, is delivering them!  I have tried many recipes and not really liked any.  I tried a recipe this time that I have had for years from an old ward cook book.  It is the best !   I loved it.  Look out Grandma Cookies!!! Here it is:
Rolled Sugar Cookies
Cream together
1 C butter
4 eggs
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla
1/3 C milk
Add and mix:
4 C flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Roll out 1/4 in or thicker.  Cut as desired.  Bake 400 degrees for 5-8 min.

I also made fudge because my bucket list includes being a good fudge maker.  I found a basic recipe and have tweeked it with different ideas like making it German Chocolate fudge.  This is my peanut butter fudge.  I made the basic recipe( using all milk chocolate chips in place of the peanut butter chips and semi sweet chocolate chips)  and pour half the completed batch into the pan, spread a layer of peanut butter on and then finished up with the rest of the fudge topped with some semi sweet chocolate chips swirled around when they melted a little.  Here is the recipe:
Double Decker Fudge
1 C REESE Peanut Butter Chips
1 C Hershey's Semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/4 C white sugar
1 jar marshmallow creme ( 7 oz.)
3/4 C evaporated milk
1/4 C butter
1 t vanilla
1. Line 8 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.  Measure peanut butter chips into one medium bowl and chocolate chips into second medium bowl.
2. Combine sugar, marsh creme, evap. milk and butter in heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils.  Boil and stir 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.  Immediately stir one half hot mixture ( 1-1/2  C) into peanut butter chips until chips are completely melted.  Qu9ickly pour into prepared pan.  Stir remaining one-half hot mixture into choc chips until chips are melted.  Quickly spread over top of peanut butter layer. 
3.  Cool completely.  Remove from pan, place on cutting board.  Peel off and discard foil, cut into 1 inch squares.  Store tightly covered.

I have made this exact recipe and I have also tried mint chips for one layer.  They turn out great.  I have also used vanilla chips for a layer.  For the fudge in the photo which is so yummy ...I used all milk choc. chips.