A Little of This, and A Little of That!

It is snowing like crazy outside which means I finally have a few minutes to spend with all of you. Thank goodness I have wonderful writer/friends like Debbie and Kelly to fill the gap when things get too busy like they have this week. And really, bacon in your bran muffins! I will have to try that out, Debbie!

I'm a little late for a few holidays but I still have to mention some really cute ideas for Groundhog Day and Chinese New Year. People are so creative! I also have some great Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine's Day ideas that you may be able to accomplish before those sneak up on us!

Sugarbelle's Groundhog Cookies just make me giggle!

Check out these adorable Groundhog cookies from The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle. She is sooo creative!

Best wishes to all for Chinese New Year and the Year of The Dragon!!!

I love the one with firecrackers and cherry blossoms!

These lovely cupcakes are from Cheryl's Cupcakes and just fit the holiday so perfectly!

The most spectacular golden dragon topper I've seen was made by The Lone Baker. It is truly amazing! Can you imagine making 200 of these? Patience, grasshopper! The Lone Baker gives you step by step directions so you can make these wonderful fondant toppers. Let me know if you just can't resist and do make them.

Cupcake Friday's Chinese Inspired Flavors

Now, again, toppers and decorations are wonderful but not if the cake is not the best in town. So, Cupcake Friday came up with their own recipe to incorporate some wonderful Chinese flavors and they are sharing that recipe with you.

Guess I will have to start thinking now about the Year of the Snake in 2013. Not as lucky as the Dragon but Snake it is!

Valentine's DayExcitement

Well, there is some hope for Valentine's Day 2012! Maybe I can get something together by then??

Some ideas that are floating through my brain include chocolate (a requirement), and beautiful decorations. There are so many creative and talented bakers on the blogosphere I just have to bow to their wonderful talent!

These cookies perfectly reflect my thoughts of Valentines on Oh, Sugar! Events. Sooo cute!

The cookies that I think are most intricate and amazing are these lace cookies made by Sweet SugarBelle.

Of course, you have seen my cookie decorating skills, so you know my passion is cakes and cupcakes. Some ideas I have really loved include this one by My Cake School. Melissa even included all the directions to try to make me successful! Hope some of you try this one out and show me your pictures. I'll share if you share!

100 Hearts Cake by My Cake School

I Am Baker offers a tutorial to make a white cake with a red velvet cake heart inside it! Very clever!

A Bowl of Mush (love that name, it fits my baking style) offers yummy looking chocolate Valentine's cakes with the recipe and photos. This looks very promising!

There is one cookie I think I may be successful with from Sprinkle Bakes.  Heather offers this lovely roll cookie with all the directions included. Just my speed!

I guess that ombre cakes are all the rage and I've seen some beautiful ones. But this one not only has directions, it actually looks like something I could pull off for Valentine's Day! Erica O'Brien on DIY offers this gorgeous cake that is adapted from a wedding version. Very versatile. 

Super Bowl Sunday

One last set of quick ideas for this Sunday. No, it is not any really big holiday (don't let Mike hear me say that!) but there are so many ideas for sweets and treats and other baked yummies for the BIG DAY!

We must have dip and what attracts Mike more than peanut butter? Check out Crazy for Crust if you like chocolate and peanut butter! Is this an appetizer or dessert? Sounds like my version of dip the spoon in PB and then chocolate chips and eat directly from spoon when you feel stressed, or upset. Sad isn't it? I could have legitimately been eating my treat if I only knew something about football!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Dip~What are the pretzels for??

I will be making these pretzels from Two Peas and Their Pod, just can't resist the smell as they bake! I'm going to try the Queso Dip with the pretzels. What do you think?

I can smell them baking already!

The first main item is this lovely football pizza from The Family Kitchen. I'm going to do this one but I will use Debbie's Foccacia Bread or Kelly's Just Your Basic Pizza Dough for the base!

What is football without pizza?

And what is football without some dessert? Check out these adorable Super Bowl Sundaes (yup, I spelled that right!) from In Katrina's Kitchen!

Well, that is a wrap for catching up to the middle of February. I hope you got some ideas for your special days and I hope you have a great time celebrating!