TAKE OFF set at 1700 hours!!!

So a couple of great friends and I went to a place here in town that I had never been to and I completely fell in love with it! J. Clyde's!!!! I cannot believe I have never been there before because it is completely my type of atmosphere.

It should have been a total give away about me loving this place if you glanced at their menu. The beer menu is way...... way.... way bigger than the food menu! I mean if you know me at all, you KNOW I LOVE food just about more than anyone but beer is sometimes just as good if not better, especially if you have a great sandwich like I did, BLT with fried green tomatoes! It was like heaven on earth arrived! And it was perfect timing 5:00 pm (aka 1700 hrs) on Friday after a long week at work!!!

Of course studying this beer menu became almost overwhelming, so we noticed there was a option of a sort of beer tasting of any drought you pleased and it was called a Flight. The Flight consisted of 5 different 4 ounce beers. You could even get high gravity beers, which I kept calling high density(do not ask why), in your tasting. I never had the chance of trying out a high gravity beer before so I willingly tried it! :) I loved a few of my beers and some I did not care for but the experience was awesome and I cannot wait to go back another time with my friends!



My list of beers I chose (Jolly pumpkin was my fav!)

HOW SWEET IT IS INDEED!!

So I think the best thing happen to me this morning! I was at work, icing cakes and doing what I do, when my friend and co-worker comes up to me and tells me I have a letter. People then follow by joking on me about getting fan mail at work. I then read who the letter is from and do not recognize the name so I continue to open it. I start to read this wonderful letter and it is from a woman named Lou Jean writing to inform me that she believes we are related. I am very intrigued to say the least!!




Mrs. Lou Jean, who is in her 70s now, recently read an article in the Birmingham News that just happened to have yours truly in it. The article was just a type of interview that was asking me personal questions to see how I got to be where I am today. In my article I mentioned my hometown Huntsville, Alabama and she also saw that my last name was Landman. And can you believe it, Mrs. Lou Jean's maiden name was also Landman!!!! She then preceded to tell me she was born and raised in Birmingham, where I now live, but her grandfather, Samuel Lewis Landman, was from Hazel Green, Alabama, where a lot of my family was born. She even went on to name her great-grandparents and leave her phone number for me to call her if I had time to do so! She also enclosed an old informal note with her maiden name on it for me to see.




I am such a happy girl with this letter coming into my life! I LOVE things like this, especially when it happens to me. I cannot wait to call and speak to her and hopefully meet her face to face! I already looked up her address and can you believe it... she lives just 8 miles away from me!!!! YAY! Wish me luck!!


Stay Sweet

Samantha Jo

Yummy Peanut Butter Fudge!!

So I have decided to share my wonderful Peanut Butter Fudge recipe with you all!! I love to top my fudge with chopped nuts, I use peanuts or cashews, and drizzle melted chocolate on top. This recipe is made for peanut butter lovers! I honestly hate peanut butter, yes I know that's terrible, but I love this fudge. I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as my family and friends have in the past!





Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Chopped nuts (cashews;peanuts;pecans;etc)
Semi-sweet chocolate


1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
2. When completely melted, stir in brown sugar and milk together over medium heat. Bring to boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into electric mixing bowl, carefully, and add the sugar. Beat mixture until completely smooth.

5. Pour mixture into a 8x8 pan. (I use a silicone pan for easier removal)Spread mixture out evenly.
6. Place chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl and melt using 15 second intervals until smooth.
7. Sprinkle chopped nuts over fudge mixture and press down to secure they will stick to the fudge.
8. Drizzle melted chocolate over top with piping bag or a fork.

9. Chill fudge until firm.
10. Remove fudge brick from pan and slice into chunks with a clean sharp knife.



I hope you all enjoy!

Sweet eating and much love-

Samantha Jo

Cookbooks!!!

Okay so I think anyone who bakes or cooks for a living, just like I do, has a bit of an obsession with cookbooks! They would have to! It is where we get new inspiring ideas. We see something even if it is a picture, an ingredient used that is one of our favorites, or just the title in itself. So we try these new interesting things and then our brains start churning and we think... hey I can do that better or let me do it again and try this ingredient in it.

So I continue to try and find cookbooks both savory and sweet to keep my juices flowing. But as of now, here I have listed pictures of some of my favorites that I have used in the past. I believe anyone who loves cooking and/or baking, and you be a professional chef or a normal joe, will enjoy looking at these cookbooks. Who knows maybe you will get inspired to try something new today and be able to call it your own recipe!!





(This is close to my heart. It is after all where I got my start!)


(Okay so I haven't tried this one but I sure am dying too!)


(Got to love MARTHA)

Dentist

Just came from the dentist today. Root canal #1, that's right just the first one. I am due for another in a couple weeks.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to stick to a strict diet of this stuff to help me make it through....

Hiatus

I know my blog entries have been scarce to say the least, but I promise this five month hiatus is about to come to an end.

I am working on revamping the blog (with A LOT of help), so stay tuned, changes are-a-coming!!!!

Samantha

Top 5 Things I Can't Live Without in the Kitchen

Number one...

KitchenAid Stand Mixer
This is an absolute must in the kitchen. The one I have is actually a lovely Lavender color, but I could not find a picture of it online.




Number two...




Bamboo Spoons
These are the only spoons I use. No plastic or metal in my kitchen.





Number three...

Icing Spatulas
You can get these just about anywhere. The different sizes are important. Obviously for when you size something as big as a four layer cake to something as small as mini cupcakes.






Number four...



Cupcake Courier
This Cupcake Courier (www.cupcakecourier.com/) is a handy little thing. It has three removable and stackable trays that can hold 12 cupcakes/muffins each. So it can either hold 36 cupcakes or you can remove the three trays and it doubles as a cake courier!




Number five.. and perhaps the most important!

Gus!
My trusty assistant.






Happy Monday Everyone!

Southern Desserts Anyone?

My family tends to fix the same desserts everytime we get together, and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I ever want that to change! Whether it's a holiday or just a cookout, it seems we have established our favorites, and there is no need to branch out. My families' most fav desserts include, but are not limited too...


Chess Pie



Mince Meat Pie ( which I will NOT show a picture of, but it's my Papaw's favorite, so I can't NOT mention it)




Chocolate Covered Ritz Peanut Butter & Crackers (And Yes! It is that simple)






Fudge Pie
(Check out Darby's blog for this easy recipe)

These are just a few, and I know my family will email me immediately with all the ones I did forget..
I want to know what your families' most favorite desserts are!
Post a comment or email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Love from B'ham,

Sum-sum-summa-time!

Hi my lovely readers- who were probably convinced I'd dropped off the face of the Earth! Let's not waste time dicussing exactly HOW long it's been since my last post, but instead move on to better topics.

One-It's SUMMERTIME,and I wanted to post a light and fresh dessert that would be great for any party, shower or just hanging out with your girlfriends. When i think of summer, I think fresh fruit tarts, strawberry shortcakes, angel food cake, ice cream and key lime pies (such as Lime Melt-Aways recipe). This is an awesome recipe (below) that i love to make into tiny strawberry shortcakes with berries and some fresh whipped cream!

Shortcake Biscuits

16 ounces All purpose flour
6 ounces shortening
3/4 ounce baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh orange zest
4 fluid ounces whole milk
4 fluid ounces water
1 egg
8 ounces chocolate chips

Egg wash:
1 egg
2 Tablespoons water

**You dont even have to have a mixer for this one just a big bowl and your hands

* Sift all dry ingredients together then add orange zest and mix shortening in with hands and mix just until it is mealy and crumbly
* Whisk together egg, milk and water. then add to dry ingredients and mix with hands just until combined.
* Scoop out desired size biscuits on a lightly sprayed sheet pan and brush with egg wash and sprinkle tops with sugar and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15- 20 mins just until starts to get brown
* Serve with fresh whipped cream and fresh berries!!!

Enjoy!

I moved!!!

Sorry for the delay in posts. I have been so terrible lately, but hopefully that can stop now. I got a great new job and have recently moved to Birmingham.
I promise to do my best to post more!


For now I'll just leave you with a picture of Gus. He was upset he hasn"t had more face time on the blog. I told him if he would pitch in a little more and actually bake something then we could talk...





Happy Thursday!

First birthdays are the best!

This cutie pie smashed his "smash cake" to bits, leaving only half the cake left!
His mommy said he loves chocolate, so that's exactly what what he got. I had a great time making these cakes, and I hope Jaxon's family enjoyed them as much as he did!
Happy 1st Birthday Jaxon!

Lime Melt-aways

Good morning!
I have a light, yet tart & super sweet recipe for you to try out!
This cookies are very easy and something different to take to that party, shower or potluck. Please feel free to leave comments or email me with any questions :)

Lime Meltaways

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup of powered sugar
zest of 3 limes
3 Tablespoons lime juice (fresh squeezed from the 3 limes above)
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then add juice, zest and extract,
2. Sift dry ingredients together and then add to butter mixture.
3. Divide dough in two. Roll each piece of dough into logs just over about a inch in diameter.
4. Refrigerate dough until firm about 1 hour.
5. Slice cookie dough about 1/4 inch thick and place on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 12 minutes just until barely golden brown.
7. Let cookies cool about 5 to 10 minutes and then gently completely cover each cookie with powdered sugar.
8. Enjoy!!!!

All in a days work..

Key Lime Tart

Walnut Fudge Brownies

Cream Cheese Brownies

One can never have too many cake stands...

Hello all!
And by all I mean my 10 or 11 faithful readers..jk!
I know I always start out saying how busy I am, but really....I AM! I have so many orders coming in at work that I am super tired to blog about my orders coming in off my blog! I am getting some super super sweet clients here lately and I am so thankful for all of my referrals!
This post is mainly to dream out loud...not too many people know about my beginning collection of cake plates and stands, but I am determined to collect at least a few a year in order to get as many colors! patterns! (and hopefully vintage)style cake stands as I can. Right now the collection is very slim (so slim it is almost not worth posting what I currently have. However! I do enjoy browsing for ones I long to display in my china buffet. I couldn't resist posting a few I am currently drooling over...maybe I can throw these out as a birthday gift idea(hint hint).
If anybody has some beautiful cake stands in their collection, please feel free to send a pic! I would love to see them!

Just another day's work...

Happy Wednesday! Posting a couple of cakes ordered for today...fudge chocolate fudge cake and carrot cake. Can't go wrong with either of these!

Samantha

Happy 4th Birthday Skyler!

Birthday cakes are my favorite cakes to make! A great cake can make a birthday that much more special.I had the pleasure of making this oh-so-grand cake for an adorable little boy, er I mean awesomely cool BIG BOY! Skyler seemed really happy with his cake! Thanks to him and his parents for letting me be part of his big day!

Samantha