Had the opportunity to make my 1st wedding cake!

I got the chance this week to make my first wedding cake. I was excited but nervous. 

It turned out pretty good... Chocolate turned out perfect! Had some moisture issues with the yellow cake that I iced to soon after taking it from the freezer and didn't know till after the wedding...

I know a few things I need to correct and a few things to do differently next time... and I am still a little excited and really enjoyed the opportunity! :) Actually really surprised how much I enjoyed it..

 and I also surprisingly, actually welcome another opportunity and hope to one day have one... 

I also stayed true to my beliefs and made the cake vegan.

Used:

 The Joy of Vegans 

Chocolate Cake recipe (my fave)

Vanilla Cupcake recipe (Moisture issues after freezing)

&

Isa's Buttercream Recipe

But for the Covering I used all Veg shortening instead of partial

 Vegan butter because of heat and humidity issues..

Delivered safely to the wedding reception! :)

My few Prep Pictures

Crumb layering the cakes
This is a 6' chocolate cake.
Takes 2 Cups batter for each 2" Cake
So 2 recipes, Minus half cup each.

The vanilla cupcake recipe makes 5 cups batter.
A 10" pan takes 6 cups of batter for a 2" cake.
Need two-2" cakes... Which equals 3 recipes... 2 whole recipes and the
3rd recipe needs to be used to put a cup of batter into each of the other recipes.
Which leaves you with 3 cups extra batter.

Each Chocolate cake recipe makes 2.5 cups of batter.
A 14' Cake needs 10 cups of batter for a 2" cake..
You need two- 2" cakes.... or 8 recipes or 20 Cups!

Vegan Creamed New Potatoes YUM!

One of my fave things to do is take foods I grew up with "comfort foods" and veganize them... 

(John Calls it retrofitting...  lol)

And for some things thats not so easy... but this one is super easy !

As I wrote yesterday I haven't had any new potatoes in a few years...

So I cooked these the first chance I got!!!

They were so good... The texture of new potatoes are so creamy by themselves...

and I love them with gravy and peas...

Problem.. 

Thought I had 2 bags of frozen organic peas...

Did I?

Not That I can find...

Not that John can find in either freezer...

I swear I bought those peas...

I have posted my gravy recipe before but I figure I will post it again since I havn't posted in awhile and to make it easier to find...
All you need:
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Oil- I use EVOO
Vegan Butter (I use Smart Balance Light)
Flour
Pepper
Salt
Potatoes
and The missing peas.......

Just make it like normal...

Melt Butter in pan and add some oil and let heat up(Med heat)I also add pepper at this point. I like the flavor of using both.. (If you are using a butter with water let the water cook off) its 1tbsp Butter or oil to 1tbsp flour per cup of milk.... So put all the oil and butter in them measure out your flour and add it.. Let it cook a couple minutes to lose flour flavor.. Then take a whisk and whisk in about a cup of milk at a time so it doesn't get lumpy... Let thicken... add you peas a couple minutes before you take it from the heat.. Then add fork tender potatoes to gravy and serve...

I like to eat alone or on toast...

Flea Market!

This summer I was hoping to make the summer of Pyrex and other retro finds.... But sadly since my car caught on fire and was totaled I have been stuck at home so my truck doesn't guzzle the loads of gas it takes to yard sale shop. But also sadly I had forgotten about three flea markets that are around our area every weekend, all summer long,... And luckily I finally realized what I was missing when by chance, going out of my way to get to Starbucks for a Venti Soy Mocha Frappuccino took me past a pretty big outdoor flea market last Sunday... But I was on the way to the hospital to see my Grandmother so I skipped it and decided I would definitely go this weekend... and so this morning I got up at the butt crack of down  (6:30am) and got ready... Why does the flea market have to open at 6am and end early in the morning as well... I don't know... But I went anyways... and drug my little sister along for the trip.


Granville Firehouse Flea Market
I am happy I went... I had a couple good finds... of course stuff I don't really need... but I did find me some PYREX! Yay PYREX! lol... and I also found something else I had been looking for for a while and figured I would never find one, and if I did I figured it would be to expensive for me to purchase on the spare of the moment, because online & in the antique stores they charge atleast $100.00.... But luckily my great find was only $5...Yep... $5... yes it is scratched in a couple places, yes it is the wrong color and needs refinished, but 5 bucks, some sand paper, and a can of stain & sealer later it will be perfect! Well atleast close...

I wanted flat fronts.. but for $5 I am willing to go for raised.. :) This will serve as the laptop desk.

The inside of the doors are in great shape, But it looks like 2 might have been replaced.

I also found a 1940s set of Primary color bowls and the buy sold me those and an extra green bowl (which isn't actually from the 1940s set) for $30 bucks... Plus he gave my little sister a piano thing for free... He was very nice... His original price was $28 set and $12 or $15 for the one green bowl... Which I would have never paid... lol...

I did miss out on 2 Texas ware bowls that I really wanted. I was $2 short and of course he wouldn't come down $2... so I had to go clear back to the truck and by the time I got back from loading the desk... they were gone... But I guess when or if I am meant to have them I will find them for a price I am willing to pay...He was stretching my price limit anyways...

Next we went to another flea market that is up the road from Granville Called Blue Horizon...

I purchased another divided veggie dish... I passed this one up before and decided the price was right today at half off $8.. so $4

Then since it was half off I also purchased this Flamingo Pink Pie Plate at half off $6... so $3

and this little orange fridge dish which I will probably never find a lid for... but it was originally $4, half off made it $2

I also purchased some Yummy new red potatoes... My grandfather would always give us a bunch every summer and since he passed away a couple years ago we haven't had any... Its funny how food can bring back such fond memories... I plan on making New potatoes, peas, and vegan gravy... YUM!

Purchased a smaller Humane trap for the rats that have been living under the chicken yard and stealing food... It is a catch and release like our bigger one... but this one the rat can't fit out of.... $8

I also purchased some small junk because it was cheap... 24 pack of sharpies $3, PedEgg replacements 2 packs for $5 (thats 6 or 8 of them, I was getting ready to buy these at BB&B so lucky I ran into them there!), another dog leash $3... This stand also some other as seen on tv stuff really cheap... might go back for more, so sad but true...

I was surprised by how many sellers had produce... I seen atleast 7, if not more.... not one organic though :( But still next year I will go and find some veggies there... Hopefully if I ask a couple times they will start selling organic... maybe... u think? maybe its just wishful thinking.... But I will have faith! lol...

over all good experience and think I might go to the one in Shinnston next week! :)