Birthday Cake Jello Shots

The BF had a BIG birthday recently. And no BIG birthday is complete with out a cake. And no cake is complete without jello shots to match, right?

The BF's sister-in-law is a professional cake baker/decorator/genius and she pinned the recipe to these little darlings a few weeks ago.

I am grateful to the people out there who have made it their business to not only perfect the jello shot, but make creative and innovative alcoholic treats for their friends and family to enjoy that don't resemble the jello shots of our college days (Dixie bathroom cups, anyone?).

The blog Jelly Shot Test Kitchen is especially impressive. Their jello creations are mini works of art that can be swallowed in one delicious bite. My favorites include the Blow Pop Martini and the Rainbow Jelly Shooter.

However, my favorite section of this blog is the Tips section.

The most useful include:

• Add an extra half to full envelope of gelatin to increase staying power
• Chill serving platters
• Prep molds with a light coat of cooking spay to ensure jello can slide out easily

Back to the birthday cake jello shots... there are two versions of the recipe and I made my own simplified version.

• Jelly Shot Test Kitchen: So They Say It's My Birthday
• Sweet Tooth: Birthday Cake Jello Shots

Both recipes call for plain gelatin, but I like to cut corners (and costs) and used basic "blue" box jello flavor. I also skipped the fancy (i.e. fruit cocktail) additions and simply added water.

My version:

• 2 boxes of blue jello
  
• 2 cups of hot water
• 2 cups of cold water
• 9 oz. Cupcake Vodka (frosting flavor)
• 1 tub of fat free cool whip
• rainbow sprinkles

Now, here is where I made my mistake. In the spirit of keeping the price low, I used my cupcake pan instead of buying a mini-cupcake pan or a mold.

The jello shots were large and hard to manage once taken off the tray. In fact, many fell apart and made a sticky blue mess on the counter, kitchen floor, white carpet...

I would suggest using a mini-cupcake pan or a mold that would produce a jello shot that could easily held with fingers. My cupcake shots were easily the size of my palm.


Cute, messy and delicious. The birthday cake jello shots were definitely a crowd pleaser, even if they left everyone with sticky fingers.

Fail Friday: The Wooden Spoon of Lies

I rarely boil anything on my stove with the exception of gluten free oatmeal. I love how it keeps me full and warm into the early afternoon.

It never fails that each morning, I become distracted by something while my water is boiling (Today Show, coffee, Words With Friends...) and my water boils over the edges and makes a giant mess.

Of course, there was a pin (and a blog) for that. The caption under the photo of a boiling pot with perfectly placed froth stated, "If you put a wooden spoon over a boiling pot, it will prevent it from boiling over and creating a mess. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!"

Well, I did...


LIES!








That mess was no bueno.






Last night, I was making non-gluten free mac and cheese for the BF when I noticed the pot getting dangerously close to boiling over. I quickly grabbed the closest wooden spoon and placed it over the top. Success!!!!

Verdict

Oatmeal: FAIL
Pasta: WIN!

What Works Wednesday: Using a Frying Pan to Heat Pizza

Lately, I have been cheating on my microwave with my stove top. No, it is not faster but I am convinced it can do nearly everything better.

I saw a pin that suggested using a frying pan and your stove top to reheat pizza. It promised a crispy crust and I was sold.

The pizza was ready-made from our local grocery store that I heated in the oven. I wasn't super impressed and the crust was very soggy. Gluten free crusts are rarely known for their crispy goodness, but I was willing to give the stove top a try for the reheat for lunch the following day.

I am 100% convinced this is the answer to all my gluten free soggy bread problems. It was possibly the crispiest crust/bread I've had since I entered the gluten free world two years ago.

This works!

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!

I went to college in Louisiana and Mardi Gras instantly became a part of my life as though I had grown up on the Gulf coast.

Mardi Gras is a great time to relax and enjoy life. Every year, my friend Anna's parents host a their friends, colleagues and family on their front yard to watch the parades pass. Anna's mom prepares a feast and visitors bring drinks, snacks and most importantly toilet paper. For those of you who have never been to Mardi Gras, having access to a clean potty (or any potty) is the key to happiness and that family has always made theirs available to parade goers.

Mardi Gras 2006

Mardi Gras 2007

It has been a few years since I have been able to join in the festivities in Lafayette but have always managed to bring a little bit of Mardi Gras to wherever I am.

Usually, I bring a king cake with me on a trip or having one shipped to me, but in order to cut costs (yay fun-employment) I made my own Mardi Gras goodies this year. The most fun part of a king cake is that there is a tiny plastic baby Jesus hidden inside and whoever finds it has to purchase the next king cake for the group.

I chose to celebrate the season by making the most brightly colored cupcakes I've ever seen. Green, yellow and purple as bright as I could make them. Honestly, the hardest part of this project was finding a tiny plastic baby Jesus in Madison, Wisconsin. The recipe is detailed and includes clear step-by-step instructions.

I substituted a box gluten free mix for her recipe and also used store bought frosting. It was just easier.



One dozen cupcakes and a bag of beads were sent to work with the BF today and I am glad our friend T was lucky enough to find the baby Jesus!