2nd full week of meal plans and monthly shopping

still going strong.

I only have had to go to the store for milk!!! I feel like I have saved so much time and money. I don't have to stop after work and buy things that I wasn't planning on. I am prepared the night before on getting things out for the next day's meal.
I can't believe November is right around the corner. I have started a rough draft of menu's and a shopping list. I host Thanksgiving so this month I have a little more planning. I find that Thanksgiving or any Holiday the cooking relaxes me. I make my lists of what I need, what I will make, times to start and when they will get done (I am a list person I live by my list when I am planning a party or a event).

Next weekend I am having our annual Halloween/birthday bash. My husband's birthday is 10/31 it's a great time to get together with friend and a great reason to have a party.

Ladies and Gentlemen start your engines!!!

One of my loves is decorating cakes.
I was asked to make a 5 year old boy race car cake. I had made a cake for him before as a race car cake so I wanted to do something a little different.

I baked 2 8 inch chocolate cakes and 2 8 inch yellow cakes. I placed cut the edge off on all 4 cakes and applied a layer of frosting in between the two cakes. I then butted the cake together.
I set them aside and started to make the track out of Oreo's. I don't like using black frosting it stains hands, teeth and is just a mess.

I used my electric mini food processor and crushed the Oreo's.

I then flat frosted the cake.

I placed two circle shaped bowls on the top and sprinkled the Oreo's on the top to make the top of the cake look like a track.

I placed his favorite race cars on the top of the cake and use a leaf tip and put some grass on the cake. Then with the writer tip I wrote Happy B-day and also put some blades of grass on the top as well. I used blue frosting to make a border around the top and there you have it.

This is an easy way to make it look like you spent hours in the kitchen!!!!

February

February is a special month. It's the month of LOVE & Birthdays!! Many friends and I have birthday celebrations so this month I am going to make several recipes relating to birthday and valentine celebration! I already have made a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding and chocolate frosting with my grandma for my Uncle's birthday (2/2). I am celebrating my friend Amy's birthday (2/5) when I go to Ohio to visit at the end of the month. A shout out to Eddie (2/7) and then Valentines day. We don't usually go overboard for Valentines day but this year I'm going ALL out! It will be a nice pick me up for the winter blues. I am still coming up with ideas for a menu. I'll keep you updated as I get more ideas.

For my birthday I am going to this great cafe for lunch! I love the River Rose Cafe! They are a great lunch stop in the town of Owego! The food never disappoints. They have creative meals that make you come back for more.

I will keep you updated on this week recipes shortly. Have a great day!

Wendy