So the story goes: There was this cake. The cake that I tasted five years ago and fell in love with. When it comes to cake + frosting, I’m not much of a fan. I’m a regular case of  the scrape-off-the-goop-of-frosting-and-eat-only-eat-the-cake kind of girl.  But my taste buds changed forever when I bit into this strawberry frosting goodness.  I could literally eat this frosting by the spoonful. Now that strawberries are coming in season, I had to try the recipe myself for the first time (with my new favorite cake stand!) Enjoy.

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

This past weekend I spent Easter with my family. It felt a little more like Thanksgiving with brunch and two dinners between the boyfriend’s family and mine. I’m a huge, huge fan when it comes to Cadbury eggs. (See last year’s Easter post). This year, I decided to make Cadbury Cupcakes with homemade frosting. They were amazing if I do say so myself. I’m pretty sure the boyfriend had two cupcakes in his mouth at one time.  I speckled the eggs with a brand new toothbrush (in case you were wondering) + extra cake batter. Next time I would melt milk chocolate in order to achieve a more natural ‘speckled’ look. However, the one drop of blue food coloring to get a light minty color was the perfect topping. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

Two weekends ago I attended a Bloggers Brunch with other fashion bloggers in the Madison area. I wanted to make something brunch worthy without being too cliché. For me, Nutella was far from that. I suppose this is where I should insert a little side note. Confession: I have never tried Nutella until this very recipe fell into my hands. I now truly understand why so many obsess over this chocolatey goodness. I prepared the dough the night before and made the glaze in the morning. This recipe is sure to staywith me on many early mornings and coffee to come.

There is something about getting a recipe from a weathered index card that has been used and treasured in a kitchen for years. Finding a new favorite recipe the old fashion way without pictures or step-by-step illustrations makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s more of a challenge and allows me to cook just as I see fit. I bought Gruyére cheese (you want to use a nuttier cheese for this recipe instead of a cheddar), mini fillo shells, and Hellman’s Real Mayo. I had special instructions not to use Miracle Whip. What seems to be an intricate process, was really quite simple thanks to this handy dandy tool. These cheesy mini fillo shells are the perfect, I mean perfect, appetizer for any party. Let’s be honest, anything bite size is right up my alley. Enjoy!

Recipe:
15 mini fillo shells (or 1 box)
Gruyére cheese (1 cup)
Hellman’s Mayo (3/4 cup)
Paprika (1 tablespoon)
1 White Onion

Instructions:
Pre-Heat oven to 325.
Finely grade 1 cup of cheese into a bowl.
Shred your onion into very fine strands (almost juice) and add to bowl.
Add Mayo and Paprika and mix.
Put mix into shells.
Place shells in oven until cheese spread starts to bubble.
Let cool and voila!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

Raviolis bring me back to my Chef Boyardee days as a kid. However, now I need more than a soup can and a microwave to do the trick. One of the most basic recipes I’ve tried yet, these raviolis are the perfect appetizer for your next party or lazy Sunday. 

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

The smell of cinnamon instantly takes me back to my grade school days. Each morning, my mom was up packing our lunches and making us breakfast. For those extra special days, like the first day of school or our birthdays, she would make my sister and I French Toast with bacon and sausage.  Now as an adult, French Toast is still one of my favorite breakfast choices– still decorated with extra powdered sugar and fruit.

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

This isn’t your ordinary apple pie by any book. What I love most about this dessert is that it’s personal-baked for each individual guest. If dessert doesn’t make you feel special enough, your own personal applie pie is sure to do the trick. When I decided to make these (recipe here), I truly had no idea how time consuming they are. The hardest part for me was hollowing out the apple. I used a spoon and by the tenth apple, my hands felt numb. I promise you, the end result is worth it. The boyfriend’s family raved about these!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

My all-time favorite Easter candy is Cadbury Mini Eggs- chocolate eggs dipped in a hard sugar coating.  I limited myself to only buying one bag this year (as opposed to other years) and substituted my usual chocolate chip cookies with cadbury eggs instead. I followed the classic Nestle Toll House recipe (you can’t go wrong) and they turned out to be a delicious hunky touch to any cookie. I’m seriously thinking about freezing a few bags so I can make them at my disclosure year round!

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

I had no idea how many different recipes are out there to make punch with ingredients ranging from sherbert and fizzy soda to fruit and alcohol. I’v never made punch before, so the selection was a bit overwhelming for me. I decided on a Black Raspberry Punch for a baby shower I had on Sunday afternoon. It was so simple: 1 liter of 7up (or choice of white soda) + 3 packets of  Raspberry Flavored Crystal Light + Frozen Blackberries to chill.  Since Easter is right around the corner, each glass was adorned with blue (for baby boy) Peeps.

Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB

This past Saturday I was up early baking away in the kitchen.  I love being awake in the early morning hours when not even the dog is stirring yet. I took my time baking and clanking around the kitchen in my pj’s (my idea of a perfect Saturday morning).  I didn’t realize how much tea cake I would have, but I could probably eat it for two weeks straight and still have leftovers. My inspiration came from this recipe, but I decided to mix it up a bit with some strawberries and raspberries as well. I can’t wait until they are actually in season and I can pick my own. Definitely on my Summer To-Do list!

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Sincerely,

THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW CAB