Teachers need to feel the love sometimes too

A new year of school begins this week, but in BC, Canada, 

teachers are starting the new year by going on strike.

To be honest, I have no children, so I haven't really paid much attention to what all the hoopla's about.

But!

I believe teachers are beacons to children's future and they hold the key to tomorrow's state of humanity.  I hold teachers in the highest regard and feel that their contribution to our children and society is of the utmost importance.

Deep.....

LOL!

But! Seriously.

Teachers need to be more appreciated. 

An appreciated teacher is a happy teacher. 

A happy teacher will genuinely love their job, and if they love their job, they will give their very best at all times to every single child.

A teacher gives knowledge, shares their experiences, guides and disciplines.

A good teacher inspires, encourages, and will have a profound effect on a child's life forever.

I'd also like to thank my high school teachers from Mowbray College, Australia; 

who inspired me, guided me and positively influenced me.

Mr. O'Shea for being my rock when I began a new life in Australia as a scared little girl.

Mr. Winder who taught me individuality and that it was ok to simply be me.

And most importantly, Mr. Graham Vohmann, if by change you ever read this, I never had the chance to tell you this personally, but you were my father figure, whom I will respect and remember with fond and grateful memories, forever.

Thank you all.

Give your teachers the recognition, honor and respect they deserve.

Give your teachers the recognition, honor and respect they deserve.

"Back to School" cookie special

Order at info@cookievonster.com

Mini 3D cookies

I was baking some custom cookies one day and had a small piece of left over shortbread cookie dough. I would have automatically thrown it into the bin but I could hear my angry grandmother's spirit yelling at me for wasting even the most microscopic amount of food.

I could also hear my dad's voice in my head repeating over and over again about sending me to Ethiopia when I was a child if I didn't finish off the last grain of rice on my plate.

So, without any thought, I just rolled it up into a ball and stuck it into the oven with the rest of the cookies that I was baking and I'd eat it. There!

Grandma would be proud!

When the cookies were done, I pulled out the tray and lo and behold!

The ball of dough... stayed in the shape of a ball!

WOAAAAA..... I had a cookie epiphany!

It was a sunny day in September, ( I don't really remember what kind of a day it was, but being that happy with my new discovering, might as well be a sunny day eh in my story telling), I thought to myself, "What can I make? What can I make????"

Thanksgiving was near so... why not mini Pumpkins????

Why not!

So I did... and I posted them on Facebook and I ended up making over 1000 mini shortbread pumpkins that October for Thanksgiving and Halloween.

I love'd them! So cute! I boxed them with some home made shredded soy wax paper and it looked like pumpkins on a field of straw :O)

Mini 3D Shortbread Pumpkins (Thanksgiving / Halloween/ Fall)

Then came the holiday season, and I thought... if I can make them into a ball.... wonder if I can make them into a box!

A box was much harder to make and trickier to mould in order to hold its shape, but it worked and I was happier than a pig in poop, because they were even CUTER than the pumpkins!

Mini 3D Shortbread Gift Boxes

My excitement led me to think.... if a shortbread dough can be made into a 3D cookie.... wonder if my Gingerbread dough would do the same too.

And... it did!

WOAAAAAA.........

Happiness!!!!!

So I made some gingerbread Christmas Puddings to go with the shortbread Gift Boxes.

Soooooo CUTE!

Mini 3D Gingerbread Christmas Puddings

By now I am addicted to coming up with ideas for mini 3D cookies.

Easter rolls up and while I was doing some research, I came across this picture of a bunny and bam!

A BUNNY, for Easter. Why not.

I tested a sample of the bunny and it looked really cute, but it also looked lonely :O(

So I decided to make him a friend.

A chicken, a cock to be exact, I tried to make a plain chic, but it looked, well, plain and simple, and I cannot do plain and simple.

I also made a bed of chocolate noodles for it to sit on so it didn't look so lost.

Mini 3D Shortbread Easter Buddies "Sam & Esther"

(Esther the bunny because its Easter; I know, it should be a cuter name but, hang on, my niece Esther, she's super cute, so Esther's a cute name; and Sam the chicken, because, it just looks like a Sam to me)

Does anyone have more ideas of mini 3D cookies for me to try out???

Drop me a note :O)

Cheers!

Cookievonster makes Cupcakes too

Yeah, I do.... I make cupcakes too.

Only my regulars know this and they usually order the cupcakes with their custom cookie favours for their parties.

I kept it hush hush for the longest time, just because EVERYONE is making cupcakes.

And I wanted to be known as the Cookie Lady, more like the Cookie Auntie as all my friends' kids call me, but... I'm not that old!

So lets just stick with the Cookie Lady.

Or even better Cookie Missy perhaps? Pushing it I think :OP

Cupcakes are EVIL don't you think?

They're so so good, and oh so bad for you too.

But if you eat only one (if you can), guess they're not so evil hehehehe.

I make all my cupcakes with the good stuff!

Butter! Butter! Butter!

Fresh cream, fresh eggs, fresh fruits.

BUTTER!

D describes the frosting as dreamy fluffy 'ice cream' on a cupcake.

Mind you, he really does eat an entire bowl of frosting like he does ice cream all the time.

Double chocolate cupcake with Vanilla buttercream frosting.

Mini Fresh Strawberry cupcakes with roasted Banana cream cheese frosting.

Mini cupcakes - epitome of EVIL.

thee hee heee.... rubs hands together

And I love mini cute things. Especially when they are delicious too.

I can pop about 6 mini cupcakes at any one time. Hmmmmmmm... cupcakes.......

Fresh orange cupcakes with Grandmarnier dark chocolate ganache

I should have dressed it with my marshmallow flowers.... but we ate them all before I could even decorate them, did get this photo though.

Banana cupcakes with mini butterscotch chocolate cups & burnt caramel buttercream frosting & topped with chocolate shavings.

Phew! Say all that without taking a breath.

Playing with some frosting designs. Which one is your favourite?

Mine's with the cluster of rosettes, so .... 'wedding like' don't you think?

Oh no, I feel like a cupcake now. So.... gonna go make me some cupcakes, later! :OP

Sharing the love .... and calories

I was asked to make a tiramisu for a party today and me being me, can't follow recipes... and I really wanted to make a trifle instead.

Its summer and berries are everywhere and that's always yummy in my tummy!

I really wanted to make a berry trifle!!!

Like seriously, I really wanted a refreshing summer berry dessert.

So I decided to make a Berry Tiramisu instead. It turned out delish!!!!

WARNING!

This is seriously additive, and although its a light and fluffy dessert, try not to eat the entire bowl by yourself. If you did... well... go for a run I guess :OP

I made the Berry Tiramisu in a large trifle bowl piled up high with goodness for the party,

and a little glass for myself for portion control *heh heh heh*

Happy summer! Here's the recipe if you would like to make a yummy dessert for your BBQ parties, or simply just for yourself.

Berry Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 6 eggs (separated at room temp.)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 cups whip cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 container mascarpone cheese (475g)
• 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup kahlua
• 2 packages ladyfinger cookies
• 2-3 cups of mixed fresh berries (I used raspberries, strawberries and blueberries)
• Chocolate shavings (I used Dark chocolate, but feel free to use any chocolate you prefer, try orange chocolate or hazelnut chocolate)

Directions

1. First make the custard by whisking together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils for 1 minute. Allow to cool, cover and chill in refrigerator till cold. Be careful not to scramble the custard while boiling, just make sure to stir constantly and not over cook the mixture. It should be silky smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form.
3. Whisk egg whites till stiff and out aside. Whisk mascarpone till creamy and add in custard until smooth. Fold in egg whites till fully combines. This will make the cheese mix fluffy like clouds :OD
4. In a small bowl, combine coffee and kahlua.
5. Dip ladyfingers with coffee mixture and arrange the soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a trifle bowl. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, top with a layer of berries, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or two if you can wait that long (but the longer you let it set, the yummier it gets).

Enjoy your summer everyone!