How to Make a Pirate Birthday Cake

Okay... so here is a "how -to" for the birthday cake. I got a lot of my ideas at http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/. They have every theme you can imagine and lots of pictures.

First you need a child who will not let you get away with buying a cake or making a traditional stacked cake.

Next, you need a handy husband who can make you an over sized cutting board (turned cake - board) to put your cake on!

Finally, get lots of ideas from the web. I mentioned the website above, but there are many. So just get some inspiration and then go for it.

Bake two sheet cakes in 9 X 13 pans. I choose one chocolate and one yellow.

Ice them with plain vanilla frosting.
This is going to be the ocean - so I tried to make it look wavy - not flat/ smooth.

Spray with Wilton color mist. Come in lots of colors. Buy it at any craft store.

I like the effect better than just blue icing.

Now take two pre- made pound cakes. (Pound cake is denser and easier to ice and from into a shape). I used one large "family size Sarah Lee cake (freezer section) and one regular size Sarah Lee Pound Cake.

Place the large one on the bottom.

Cut the smaller one into three pieces and assemble as seen.

Use skewers to hold it in place.

Now ice it- I used chocolate fudge - to get the darkest brown.

Don't worry right now about getting it super smooth.

Now carefully pick up the pirate ship cake - and place it as seen on to the sheet cakes- so it looks like it is in the water. Push the skewers all the way through to the cutting board.

Now comes the creative part. Using whatever candies and such I found at Target and Michael's I started to "theme" the cake.

Here are some of the things I did...

Brown Sugar to make an Island the boat landed on.

(On the island I also bought a little treasure chest and filled it with unwrapped rolos - since they are wrapped in gold - they looked like treasure).

Oreo Sticks for the sides of the boat.

Unwrapped Rolos- stuck to the side in a row like cannons.

Whoppers piled on board like cannon balls.

Chocolate Twizzlers for detail.

Cut out sails from cardstock and put them on skewers.

Bought crocodile figurine and tube of Pirate figurines at Michael's to complete the look.

Have your best friend wrap it in Saran - Wrap overnight because you are no good at it!

Unwrap in the morning and enjoy your kids excitement!

Finished product.

On a side note - the handy husband also made the dining room table that the cake is sitting on.

Let me know if you try to make the cake.

This Thing that Changed my Life... aka Dinner Swap

In May, our good friends moved here from Charlottesville. When they moved, Emily told me that she wanted me to start a Greensboro Dinner Swap with her. She had done one in Charlottesville and only had good things to say about it. I have to admit I was hesitant at first- but after having my arm twisted I reluctantly agreed. We convinced two other moms to do it and began this summer.

So... here's how it works... There are four of us and we each make dinner three times a month. But, when we cook we make enough for all four families and deliver the meal to them. So each of us has 12 home cooked meals a month - but only cooked three of them. It's awesome! To only have to cook three times a month and the other nights to have food delivered to us. And, we have been able to try new foods and usually have enough left overs for the week.

Another perk - I only need about 6 good recipes and I can rotate them. So here is what I cooked last week... the recipe is from my friend Kim (a great cook, midwife, mother of five, home-schooler, cool - dresser, and yet does not have a blog!). You should try it- I hate vegetables and even I liked it!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Yield: 2 quarts

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
5 celery ribs,
sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1 large potato, cut into 1/4-inch
cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
3 1/2 cups chicken
broth
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole kernel corn, rinsed and
drained
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (16-ounce) loaf
pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed
1 (2-ounce) jar diced
pimiento, undrained
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4
teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Garnish: celery
leaves

Preparation

Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat,
and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in corn; remove from
heat.
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring
until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
Stir in milk
and next 5 ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Gradually
stir cheese mixture into vegetable mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until soup is thoroughly heated. Garnish, if desired, and serve
immediately.

On the stove... smelled so hearty...

Ready to be packaged and delivered. I sent along baked potatoes and bread!

Seriously, you should try Emily's great idea. It has changed our whole family! We eat out so much less, save money, and rarely have to think through "What's for dinner!".

One More Recipe...

Okay - so a couple of people have asked for this recipe for Wassail (sort of like cider- but better!). Hope you enjoy it with your loved ones this Christmas eve.

Christmas Wassail

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white sugar
8 whole cloves
3 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 gallon apple

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cloves, water, and cinnamon.

2. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to cool for 1 hour.

4. Stir in the orange juice, lemon juice, and apple juice.

5. Return to the heat, and boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks before serving.

7. Enjoy!

Recipe says it yields 32 servings, but from experience serves about 20 people.

Merry Christmas!