Cake Balls and Awards

Pin It

I love trying new things when it comes to sweets, surprised?  Ha - well I don't always love trying new things.  I just know what I like.  If I know how to do something and I like the result why change it?  I've been told change is good - but I am not so sure.  

Anyway - if you read my blog you know that I don't love dipping desserts.  It seems tedious and messy and it takes me FOREVER!  But I got a new Christmas present and have been using it a lot.

The Wilton Chocolate Melter.  It is awesome!  (No - they aren't paying me - wish they were :))  It melts my chocolate without burning it and it stays warm.  Staying warm is a huge plus for me because I am really, really slow and usually my chocolate gets cold.  So I enjoyed making these cake balls much more than I thought I would.  One of my favorite blogs, Mrs. Fox's Sweets, just made very similar cake balls.  Of course hers look fantastic!!  You should check out her post.  Her cake balls look gorgeous and next time I am going to do better.  I think mine were a little lopsided and I love the candy liner idea.

Next order of business!

I was awarded two awards this week!

 

                                                        

First I was given the Liebster award for the second time (wow!) from Crunchy Creamy Sweet.  If you haven't seen Anna's blog yet you need to fly over there!  She has so many great recipes and a baking chart page that is so cool.  It gives you all of the conversions you need.  I can never remember that 3 teaspoons equal one tablespoon. Should be easy right?  Not for me! 

A Liebster Blog Award is given to talented and loved bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

Just a few rules:
-Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
-Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
-Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
-Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
-Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

I have given the Liebster Blog award to these five blogs that I love:

Adele's - The Dutch Door Kitchen

Angie's - Angie's Sweet Natured Treats
Heather's - Made Famous By....
Hayley's - The Domestic Rebel
Sarah's - Dwell On Joy


Then I found out that Randee over at Randee's Organized Chaos awarded me The Versatile Blogger award!  I am speechless!  I love Randee's blog.  She is a Mom like me and knows life can get a little chaotic.  I always relate to her posts and she makes me laugh.  Now I get to give this award to seven of my fellow bloggers and I have to tell you seven facts about myself (you guys are learning a lot about me this week!)


1.  I stay up way too late every night.  My husband and I always say we are going to go to bed early, but we don't.
2.  I love to bake but I hate to clean up! - Surprises you I know :)
3.  I have a cat named Caly, she is 15 1/2 years old.  She has been with me for a long time.  I have known her longer than my husband!
4.  I love to swim.  When we go to the pool I could spend hours (literally) in the water.  I don't mind laying in the sun - but I prefer to be in the water.
5.  I absolutely HATE to run.  No offense to the runners out there.  It just kills my shins.
6.  I was a certified step aerobics instructor and used to teach (that was a lifetime ago!)
7.  I grew up with horses and used to ride competitively.  I miss it horribly!

Whew - OK.  Now that we are best friends let me tell you who I passed on this beauty too:

Elizabeth at Act Fast Chef
Joan at Chocolate, Chocolate and More
Bridget at Flour N' Friends
Hilary at My Blog Review
Chrissy at The Taylor House
Terry at These Peas Taste Funny
Robin at Bird on a Cake

I hope all the bloggers I awarded tonight enjoy their awards!  Go check out their blogs and show them some love!  You won't be disappointed.   I love reading what everyone writes and I enjoy the blogging communtiy so much.  I am so honored to receive these awards and it make me happy to be able to share the love!

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Alderberry Hill - Make The Scene Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Uncommon - Uncommonly Yours, Mandy's Recipe Box - Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Reason To Skip The Housework - Tuesday Timeout, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, The Kings Court 4 - What's Cooking Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Susie QT Pies - Happy Friday Link Up,  Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons - Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday Link Party, Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, Crumbs and Chaos - Seasonal Inspiration, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Randee's Organized Chaos - Sleepy Sunday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest, Southern Mom Cooks - Valentine Party, Cupcake Apothecary - A Themed Baker's Sunday

Liebster Blog Award For Me!

I got an email the other day from Bridget at Flour & Friends, Bridget informed me that she was awarding me with the Liebster Blog Award. What a great email to get!  First I love talking to other bloggers.  I am new to blogging and I am always amazed by the blogging community.  There are so many great, friendly people out there and I love connecting with them.  I don't know if they know it - but I consider us all friends.   Second, I got an award!!!  It is so nice to know that Bridget enjoys my blog.  Makes me feel good!

The Liebster Blog Award is for up and coming bloggers who have a following list of less than 200.  Liebster is a German word that means favorite or dearest.  I feel honored that Bridget chose me to receive this award!  Now I get to share this award with five other bloggers I think deserve it.

Check out Bridget and her blog post about this award over at Flour & Friends and show her some love! She has a great blog with so many delicious recipes.  Not all sweets - which is inspiring me to try some new recipes and get out of our dinner rut!  All of her recipes look amazing!

Also check out these great blogs!

1.  The Garden of Yum - Raina has a great blog.  She does bake amazing desserts, but also so many yummy savory dishes.  I do sometimes want a break from sweet and Raina delivers.  Her Italian Beef Stew is so delicious you have to try it!

2.  Cakeballs, Cookies and More - Sue's blog's name says it all.  Cakeballs, cookies and more.  More sweets to tempt you.  Everything she bakes looks so delicious.  I don't know how she does it!  Her Christmas Sugar Cookies were so beautiful, and then there was the Chocolate Covered Bacon.  So many things to try!

3.  Lizy B - Lizy makes some of the most beautiful sugar cookies I have ever seen!  She is so talented and creative.  I love her Chanel Bag Post.  Beautiful cookies and she is funny too!  When I first tried royal icing I used Lizy's Thanksgiving Leaf cookies as a visual guide.  They were beautiful!

4.  The Sweet Swiper - Kirsten loves to bake and she has baked some pretty amazing desserts.  It is hard to choose just one.  But my current favorite has to be the Chocolate Whoopie Pies with dulce de leche buttercream frosting - wow!  I also love her Oreo Cheesecake Brownies.  I love to see what she is baking.

5.  Dreaming of White Chocolate - At Michelle's blog you will find yummy white chocolate recipes.  But also - all kinds of sweets.  I could read all day.  Especially FUDGE!!  She has a post titled My Fudge Recipe Collection.  So many different fudge recipes, so little time.  How will I bake them all?? 


What is so amazing about all of these bloggers is that they share their secrets!  I love seeing what they have baked or cooked up.  And I know they will leave me a road map so I can also be successful at it too - gotta love it.  Show them some love and go check them out - you won't be disappointed.

Congratulations, ladies! You all deserve it.  Now here’s what you gotta do:

- Choose 5 up and coming blogs of fewer than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.

- Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them
- Post the award on your blog.

Have a great day everyone!