The hiatus is from blogging, as you'll note if you glance at the posting dates. The hecticism is from life. Consider this a hiatus from the hiatus and then I'll probably slip back into non-bloggerdom until September.
It hasn't been bad hecticism, but I'll give you the Top Ten Life Altering Events which have interfered with my blogging since I posted last. Since when do I blog about my life? Generally I don't, because I have too much to say about what I've been doing in the kitchen. But life has cut into my kitchen adventures, so I haven't conducted many experiments lately. None worth reporting on anyway. If you're wishing I'd shut up already and give you the Top Ten, your wish is granted.
1. End of school year. Crazy nuts no matter how you're connected to the education system - as a parent, as a student, as a teacher. Or how about as a parent to 3 students married to a teacher?
2. Made an offer on a house with a new kitchen for improved copycatting!
3. Grandpa turned 80! I was able to copycat a fondant horse I found on the internet. Here's how his cake turned out:
I also made Marshmallow Fondant for the first time. This slacker has been buying it at a ridiculous cost from Micheal's. And since you asked for it, here are my two bits on fondant.
Wilton fondant: looks nice, tastes like *#$&, costs an arm, and is difficult to work with.
Duff fondant:looks nice, tastes like better *#$&, costs a leg, and is much easier to work with.
Marshmallow fondant:looks nice, tastes pretty ok, super cheap, super easy to work with.
Marshmallow Fondant, thanks to About.com
4 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp water
food coloring or flavored extracts, optional
Basic steps:
Dust counter with icing sugar. Place mallows and water in large microwave bowl, nuke on high until marshmallows are puffy. Stir mallows with a rubber spatula until melted and free of lumps. Add icing sugar and stir until impossible to stir anymore. Scrape onto work surface. Dust hands and knead
the mixture like bread dough until it's smooth and no longer sticky. Add more sugar if necessary. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it's ready. Add coloring and extract by kneading it in. Roll it out, wrap in cling for later, whatever you want!
4. The sudden passing of our beloved principal. Grieving, prayers, funeral and extra school related details for The Husband to attend to.
5. The Husband becomes Associate Principal for next year. Very unexpected, very proud of him, very sad because of the circumstances which made the position available.
5. The Husband becomes Associate Principal for next year. Very unexpected, very proud of him, very sad because of the circumstances which made the position available.
7. Camping trip to Saskatchewan to nab a new sister. We infiltrated Grenfell so my brother could get married! A Western wedding called for a Western cake...
The folks at the Co-op and liquor store will never forget the weekend we came to town. Cleaned them out of ice and beer the first night. The poor folks at St. Columbkille didn't know what hit them when we all marched in for Sunday Mass. 12 extra adults and 7 extra kids...I think we doubled the congregation.8. Camping trip to Manitoba to visit family. No cooking, no cakes. Firepit, family, fireworks.
9. First time camping in a Walmart parking lot overnight on the way home. Phew! Now I can check that of my bucket list! Walmart: parking lot by day, KOA by night.
10. First time attending Roman Catholic Mass in a car dealership. Ten points if you can name the place! I love Sundays on the road! You just never know what kinda Mass you're gonna get.
